Love or War?
by KidatHeart5
Summary: What if Padme and Anakin weren't the only ones to have a secret relationship? What if there was another couple meeting in the shadows…on the other side! General Grievous meets a young girl neutral in the war and eventually falls in love with her. But what will happen if their love is discovered? Note: this is strictly AU.
1. A Fateful Rescue

**_How shall I begin this tale? I suppose you could say that it started with the war, but perhaps that's only partly accurate. I certainly cannot say it happened during battle because it happened afterwards! I think the best way to start this story is by explaining what happened after the_** **Malevolence** ** _was destroyed. I was on the run after that infamous battle, last seen in the Balmorra system. Pirates had caught up to me, however, and shot down my frigate over a planet in the Mid Rim. Luckily, I had fled in an escape pod, but my luck was about to run out, for I was plunging right into the sea!_**

 **** _KA-WOOSH!_

The force of the impact, though softened by saltwater, threw Grievous off his feet. He grunted as he got up again and his heart skipped a beat when he saw the water slowly creep up the viewport. As heavy as he was, he could very well sink with the pod. He did not want to endure such a fate as that, so he grabbed one of his lightsabers and cut a hole above him. Quickly, he jumped up the freshly-cut opening and climbed out onto the exterior of the pod.

Grievous leaned towards the front of the pod, but the shift in balance made that side more submerged in water. Carefully, he spread his body out as if to cover the hole he made. This seemed to keep the pod balanced, but he knew that he was still going to sink with it unless help arrived. His only means of communication was still inside the pod, which was now being flooded thanks in part to a crack acquired from the pressure of the water. Grievous scanned the shore and the horizon for any sign of life, but found none.

 ** _Surely I couldn't die like this, drowning on an unknown planet. What would both sides of the war think of me then? If I had suddenly sunk at the precipice of my glory…_**

 _VROOOOOOOMMMMM…._

Grievous's antennae picked up a faint sound. It sounded similar to the roar of an airspeeder.

 ** _A ray of hope! Was I going to be saved at last?_**

He looked up to see an airspeeder racing down one of the hills decorating the horizon. He did not know whether or not the driver was Republic or Separatist-affiliated, or maybe neither. He hoped that the stranger would see him, yet he was wary in case he/she might do him harm. To his luck, the speeder looked like it was hovering towards him. Grievous split his arms in half and used two arms to secure his grip on the pod and waved the other two as a sign for help.

The speeder stopped onto the shore for a while as if trying to see what Grievous was doing. Moments later, it flew over the water and stopped to where the cyborg was. He could barely see the driver for the repulsors in the speeder were blowing sea vapor all around. This didn't do wonder for his eyes, so he used his free arms to cover them. He looked up through blurred vision and heard a feminine voice say, "Do you need help?"

Now the sea vapor got into Grievous's lungs and he coughed, "What does it *cough* look like to *cough* you?! I'm *cough* on an escape pod that's *hack* sinking in the middle of the *cough* sea! Your speeder is *cough* irritating my eyes and *hack* lungs! Can you *cough* take up it a little higher?" The girl apologized, "Oh, sorry! My bad!"

She took her vehicle about five meters higher so that it wouldn't disturb the water. She shouted from above, "Then how are you going to get off?!" After he gasped for fresh air, Grievous gestured to a spot on the water and shouted back, "Just *cough* fly about 15 feet from me *hack*! I have a grappling hook fixed in my arm, so I should just fire it underneath your speeder!" The girl was confused, but just shrugged and did as he said.

Grievous rejoined both halves of his right arm and fired his grappling hook at the underside of the airspeeder. He shouted to the girl, "All right, take her up higher before you head to the shore!" The girl asked, "How much higher do you want it?!" The cyborg replied, "Just high enough so I don't touch the water! I'll tell you when!"

When the girl raised her speeder, Grievous felt his line being pulled upwards. He braced himself and felt himself being dragged from the pod. He dipped for a bit and let his metal talons brush against the water before being lifted into the air. When he was a good foot above the surface, he looked up at the speeder and shouted, "Take us to shore!" The girl complied and flew him to the mainland. Grievous hated being near water, but he pretended to be brave in case the girl was looking.

In mere moments, Grievous touched down on the shore and retracted his grappling hook. Seconds later, the speeder landed on the sand, causing another wind blast that blew sand in Grievous's eyes. The girl heard groaning and rushed towards the cyborg. She apologized, "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to hurt you!" She pulled out a handkerchief and offered, "Here, use this to rub the sand from your eyes."

Grievous growled at her, "I cannot see, you ignorant twit! You have to do it for me!" The girl, though offended by that remark, kept her cool and said, "Okay, hold still." When the cyborg did, his rescuer dabbed the handkerchief on his eyes to rub away the sand and dry a few stray tears.

The general asked in a spiteful tone, "Are you sure you're not trying to blind me?" The girl shook her head and answered, "After how I just saved you? It would be petty to just blind you when I could've let you drown back there." Grievous groaned, knowing that she made an excellent point. She continued, "I figured that someone with as many mechanical parts as you do wouldn't do well in water."

Grievous said, "It's more about the weight of my limbs than the circuitry that runs within them. Tell me, girl, what do you think I am?" When she finished wiping his eyes, he opened them to glimpse at his rescuer for the first time. She was a human girl, roughly a young adult, and had short brown hair above her shoulders. She had goggles that acted as glasses and an upper back that was sort of hunched. She was no higher than Grievous's chest when he was standing upright and he could see her blue eyes behind her clear lens.

The girl investigated him in the same manner. Yes, he had a mechanical cream-colored body in place of flesh, but how could he be a droid? She just wiped his eyes just now, eyes that she noticed were golden with slit pupils and black sclera. They might've been the only organic parts she could see of him, but didn't he just state that he had lungs? If that was the case, then how could he survive with mostly machinery instead of blood and bone?

She put her left arm across her abdomen and rested her right elbow on her wrist. She put her right hand on her chin and asked in a witty tone, "You're no droid, are you?" Grievous smiled because she acknowledged that he was not a machine. He answered, "I am General Grievous, Supreme Commander of the Separatist Droid Armies. I may command countless battle droids, but I myself am a cyborg, distinguished from the rest of his troops."

When he looked at her again, he saw that her expression had changed. Her skin had paled, her eyes were wide, and she was frozen in a state of dread. She had no idea who she just rescued, but now she did…and regretted it. He asked in alarm, "You didn't know who I was, did you?" She slowly backed away until her backside touched her speeder.

She apologized again, but with apprehension in her voice this time, "I-I'm sorry. It's just that I've heard of you, but I never knew what you looked like." When he tried to walk towards her, she spread out her hands and continued, "Listen, I don't want cause trouble here. Jharona is part of the Council of Neutral Systems, which means it can't be pulled into either side of the war. My family and I are refugees, but we scattered across the galaxy to protect ourselves. I will house you, General, but only on the condition that you do not mention Jharona to your affiliates. I will die if I must, but I cannot jeopardize my planet's safety by bringing it into the war."

Grievous nodded and said in a low voice, "I understand. I will respect your wishes, but be warned: if anyone discovers me here, your planet will not remain neutral for long." She bowed her head in acknowledgment and said, "Thank you, General." She climbed into her speeder and Grievous did the same. When she started her vehicle, he said, "I never got your name." Knowing she couldn't deny his request, she answered, "It's Rani. Rani Captague."

 ** _Rani Captague…the name that would forever change my life._**


	2. An Interesting Girl

**_Thankfully, Rani lived somewhere far from the public eye. That made it easier for me to remain in hiding. Getting off the planet, however, was another story. My personal fighter, the_** **Soulless One** ** _, had been on the ship when it was shot down. I knew that one way or another, those filthy pirates had gotten hold of it. No doubt to make a profit from selling it._**

 ** _I could not contact a Separatist fleet for two reasons: I wasn't sure if any were in range of Jharona, and I could not dishonor my deal with the girl who had saved my life. For all I knew, she could've just left me to die had she known who I was. To be honest, she was the first being to actually be kind to me in a long time. I had been away at war for so long that I had almost forgotten what such compassion looked like. Still, I had to be wary, for I didn't know whether or not she would turn on me…_**

A three-story house sat perched on the side of a mountain. It had a green metallic roof similar to the ones built by the Ming Po people on Carlac. Its silvery and golden walls glinted in the sunlight and a few windows dotted some places on the first two floors. However, there was only a half-window on the third floor, which had a short, cylindrical section of the roof underneath a spire. A landing pad was conjoined to a garage on the left side of the house and there was a flight of stairs that jutted down from the pad to a beaten path on the mountain. There was also a porch that stretched from the pad to the leftmost side of the house and a front door stood in the middle of it. On the outside, the house wasn't much, but the inside was a different matter.

When Grievous first stepped in, he was amazed by the majestic, yet humble, décor. He was not usually one to admire beauty, but this seemed to take his breath away. Green vines with fluorescent bulbs were scattered across the ceiling and the walls. Various works of art were positioned throughout the room in which Rani and her guest now stood. The house was not without technology, however. There was a computer at the wall opposite of the door. There was also a screen on which to watch the HoloNet news.

"You seem to be fairly well off, considering the war," Grievous remarked. Rani replied, "My grandmother was a very wealthy merchant. Jharona was one of the most profitable planets she'd been on, so she visited it frequently. She bought this house and renovated it when my dad was very young. When she retired and I became of age, she decided to give me the place so I could live on my own. I'm not filthy rich, but I'm doing okay with the wealth I have."

Grievous asked, "What do you do for a living?" The girl answered, "I haven't decided, but I have made some beautiful crafts and written stories, some of which are poems." The cyborg said, "You are an artisan, then." Rani shrugged, "Yeah, I guess I am." Just then, a gold and black R3 unit wheeled in. It stopped when it reached the living room and seemed to be shocked by the new arrival.

Rani turned to the droid and exclaimed, "Oh, R3! I almost forgot you were here." She gestured to R3 and said, "Grievous, this is R3-S6. R3, this is General Grievous." At the name, R3 grumbled as the two arms beneath his dome opened and two sharp pikes sprung out. As he got ready to charge at the general, Rani seized him and cried, "Whoa! Easy, R3!

"We don't want to make new enemies now, would we? He's our houseguest, but we mustn't tell anybody he's here. Okay?" R3 grumbled some more before resuming his duties. "I don't plan on being a houseguest for too long," Grievous warned Rani. "If Count Dooku were to discover I was missing, he'll eventually trace my whereabouts here and send a Separatist fleet." She turned to him and asked, "If you don't mind my asking, just how did you end up here?"

Grievous looked around to see if R3 was near and then he whispered to her, "Is there a private place where we can discuss this? I don't trust that droid of yours to know about my current situation." Rani nodded, "Sure. I can take you to the garage and we'll talk there." She then led him there, where it also served as her workshop.

Shelves with boxes and binders surrounded a steel table with two lamps hanging from the wall. Finished pieces of artwork were carefully set on the side of the room opposite of the table. Never had the general seen such exquisite artistry, finished or otherwise. Assorted tools and machinery were at the wall farthest from the garage door. Grievous couldn't help but be drawn to the multicolored crystals, some of which were strewn across the table and others that were tightly concealed in a see-through box. He fingered the crystals as he asked, "I must ask – how did you obtain these beautiful stones? I haven't seen gems like these since days long past."

Rani answered simply, "There's a cave down in the canyons near my home. I dig for crystals and find geodes. Other times, though, I travel off-world for the rarer stones." Grievous said, "As I understand it, those kinds of crystals are hard to come by." The girl shrugged, "Not really. I make artwork as payment or as a way to re-earn all the money I use to pay for the crystals."

Grievous said, "Crystals are not only used for art. They can also be made into weapons…like this." Rani's eyes widened as he reached for the hilt of one of his lightsabers at his waist. She was shocked because she knew that Grievous was a known Jedi hunter and that the lightsaber he now held once belonged to a Jedi.

A Jedi he had slain.

The cyborg continued, "It's astounding how a simple crystal the size of a pebble can - under the right conditions - produce a blade of sheer power." He activated the lightsaber and it emitted a blue blade of light. Rani took a few steps back, both to adjust to the brightness and in fear that he might do something with it. She asked timidly, "You aren't…going to…use it to…" Grievous looked at her indignantly and said, "Why would I do that to the one who just saved my life?" He deactivated his blade and said, "Besides, I need a way to get off this planet."

Rani asked, "How did you crash into the sea in the first place?" Grievous stared at her and groaned, almost as if embarrassed to say, "We were in hyperspace when…our hyperdrive malfunctioned. It would've been dangerous if we let the ship emerge from hyperspace without stopping it, but it was equally as risky if we just stopped the ship and possibly crash into something. I chose to come out of hyperspace before we had the chance to become a hurtling fireball. Fortunately, the ship was over your planet, so I thought landing would be a safe alternative should something happen while the hyperdrive was being repaired. As it turned out, something _did_ happen."

The girl asked, "What? Did the ship blow up or something?" Grievous replied, "In a way, it did. It was mostly because it was shot down by…" His voice edged with loathing, "…pirates. The ship was almost dead in space, so the scum decided it was an opportunity to get some Separatist goods. They shot the engines and before I knew it, we had to evacuate.

"Never one to go down with my ship, I fled for the hangar, but the entrance was blocked by burning debris. I knew that I had no other choice but to jump into an escape pod. Just as I descended into the atmosphere, I caught a glimpse of the insignia that marked the pirate ship." Rani walked towards the table as she suggested, "Why don't you draw it out for me? Maybe I can help you identify who raided your ship."

She pulled out two individual boxes and opened them to grab a sheet of paper from one and a pencil from the other. When she laid them out before the general, he remarked, "I admit my drawing skills aren't superb, but my memorization is one to rival." He grabbed the pencil and began drawing from memory. He had to erase several lines, but he thought the end product turned out amazingly good. He was sure he had captured the insignia's likeness perfectly when he showed it to Rani and asked, "Tell me – does this seem familiar to you?" The girl's eyes widened as she exclaimed, "Oh, not the Blood Bone Order!" Grievous asked, "Just who are they?"

Rani explained, "They're not your typical band of pirates. These guys are as ruthless as they are strategic. Lassa Rhayme is one scrupulous captain, that's for sure. Despite her reputation, though, she's very pleasant but also tricky." The general eyed her suspiciously, "Do you happen to know her?"

The girl scoffed, "Hardly. The Merchants' Guild was holding a party and my grandma insisted my sister and I attend in her place. Halfway through the gathering, our ship was hijacked by the Blood Bone Order. Captain Rhayme demanded that we hand over our most precious items. When she came over to my sister and me, she saw that our bracelets were marked with the Captague emblem. We had no choice but to tell Rhayme that we were the granddaughters of Corusca Captague. The captain knew the Captagues were a famous family because of rumors that a wayward son had married an angel.

"Because of that, she decided to make a deal with us. It took some discussion, but we finally agreed that I would create five pieces of art for her to cover the value befitting of the Captagues. Shortly after we were released from their grasp, I crafted some jewelry and painted portraits to honor my end of the deal."

Grievous said, "Since you've dealt with these pirates before, maybe you can contact them about my fighter." Rani said, "Well, that's just it. I've heard rumors that they've set up camp here on Jharona. I'll head to town with R3 to find useful information about just where the Blood Bone Order may be based." Grievous said, "And since I can't be seen by the locals, I suppose my only option is to stay here until you return…and hopefully with a lead." Rani knew that the icy tone in his voice implied that she had better come back with some information…or else.


	3. Exploring Rani's House

Just before Rani and R3 left for town, she permitted Grievous to explore the rest of her house, provided that everything would be just as she left it when she would return. She knew that if she told him to stay in one room, he might think that she was hiding something from him. Though she was in a way, it wasn't what Grievous would think. She knew who she was dealing with, so she attempted to stay on his good side and get him off her planet as soon as possible.

Grievous felt insulted that Rani didn't exactly trust him to do whatever he pleased in her house. Then again, he couldn't quite trust her, either. He had to be on his guard at all times. She may have saved his life, but that didn't mean that she became his closest confidant. For a moment, he thought she was a secret agent for the Republic. But if that was true, why would she allow him to walk around the house if she had something to hide? Since he couldn't engage in the war at the moment, the least he could do was occupy himself by exploring Rani's house.

Curious about how the war was going without him, Grievous decided to turn on the big screen. The logo for the HoloNet news flashed on before cutting to a Rodian anchorman.

" _Now we turn our attention back to the brutal Clone Wars. The clone army has suffered a massive defeat at Taanab. Casualties have been reported to be as high as 1500 troopers and over 13000 civilians. In other news, clone intelligence has not picked up any trace of the vile General Grievous. He was last seen in the Balmorra system, but has since disappeared."_

Grievous felt both pride and irony when the Rodian spoke those words. He was glad that he remained unseen after jumping into hyperspace, but he was also indignant that he crash-landed on a planet that was neutral in the war. Being on a world like that would increase his odds of being reported to powerful organizations like the Council of Neutral Systems…or worse, the Galactic Republic.

 _"_ _We have the rare opportunity to speak to one of the Republic's most prestigious admirals, Wullf Yularen."_

As soon as Yularen's hologram appeared, Grievous growled as he turned off the screen. He took no pleasure in seeing Republic scum, so he thought it would be a good time to wander around the three-story house.

He climbed up the marble spiral staircase and found himself in a long hallway with another spiral staircase at the end. There were four doors, two on each side. Grievous took a peek in the one closest to his left and saw that it was a bedroom. Seeing that the room had only the bare necessities, he knew it had to be a guest bedroom. He looked into the room on his right and found it was another guest room. He opened the door next to the second guest room and saw it was a bathroom. He knew then that the last room on the floor had to be either Rani's bedroom or something else.

He was correct on the first assumption. When he opened the door, the bedroom was unlike any of the rooms he had just seen. The guest rooms were painted in homely colors, but this room was painted in lovely colors akin to a sunset. Sunlight streamed in through the window with gossamer curtains printed with a floral pattern. The same fluorescent vines that lined the living room wrapped themselves on the frame of the canopy bed. Stars were printed on the curtains of the bed and also the walls and ceiling of the room. Little furniture decorated the room, including a desk, a rack, and a dresser.

Grievous walked into the room carefully so he didn't disturb anything. He noticed that there was a holoprojector installed in the dresser and grabbed a few disks from the rack. He memorized just where the disks were positioned so Rani didn't know that he was snooping through her things. He inserted the first one in and pressed the button on the projector. An image appeared and it looked like a list of people. The first two names that appeared were "Mom and Dad". Below their names were the coordinates for the planet Iego.

 _Strange,_ he thought. _Why would Rani's parents live on a planet at the edge of the galaxy?_ He looked at the name below theirs and it read 'Rhea', who apparently lived on Naboo. This alarmed Grievous since Naboo was a Republic-affiliated planet. Yet, why would Rani's parents live somewhere that was Separatist-affiliated and Rani on a neutral world? Grievous then assumed that a civil war would drive families apart…including Rani's. He felt a twinge of pity for her when he thought that it was the reason she lived on Jharona.

He continued to scan the list and read the following: 'Grandma', 'Clive and Rodessa', 'Dot and Pagos', and the names of some clients. He made note of the clients in case they could be of valuable information to him. Grievous then ejected the holodisk and inserted the next one. The next image that emerged was of two human beings. One was an adult male with gray hair and glasses and the other was a female with brown hair. Grievous thought, _They must surely be her parents. I don't see much family resemblance, though._

The cyborg inserted the last disk and an image of a human girl popped up. Remarkably, she looked very similar to Rani. Grievous thought upon seeing the hologram that she might be Rani's sister. He didn't see much of the couple in this girl. He deactivated the holoprojector and returned the disks to their original spots on the rack. He then left the room and headed up the spiral staircase.

He entered the attic of the house and saw that it held rows of holodisks and various equipment. He thought that it served as a library and an observatory, judging by the tools used for astronomy. He wondered if Rani gazed up at the stars in hopes of finding the planets where her family lived. They certainly were spread throughout the galaxy, so it would be acceptable for the girl to look out towards the night sky whenever she missed them. Grievous, too, often looked out at the stars and sometimes wondered how his own family was doing. At times when he would miss them, he would remind himself that he was fighting the war so they could be free of the Republic scum.

This thought led him to search the hundreds of holodisks for a map of the galaxy. He eventually found it and put it in the large holoprojector in the middle of the room. The map instantly popped up and countless planets dotted the wide hologram of the galaxy. Grievous thought it was of great use for finding out just how far from the prearranged rendezvous place he was. He was relieved to learn that Jharona wasn't actually far from where he and Count Dooku agreed to meet. He turned off the hologram and placed the holodisk back in its original spot.

Just then, he heard a distant sound. He looked out the half-window and saw an airspeeder racing towards the house. For a moment, he thought it was a visitor dropping by, but upon close inspection, he realized that it was Rani and R3 returning from town. He knew that he had to hurry downstairs and quickly. He flew down the first flight of stairs and raced across the hallway. When he was reaching the bottom of the second staircase, he tripped and fell onto the floor. He growled as he got up and walked towards the front door.

Grievous opened the door just in time to see the airspeeder set down on the landing pad. He was making his way across the porch when he asked, "Have you found out where the Blood Bone Order is hiding?" Rani said as she stepped out of her vehicle, "Yes. They're hanging out at an abandoned base near the port city of Dessoux. Hopefully, they haven't left yet." Grievous said, "Well, let's not waste any time. If we miss them, I shall hold you entirely responsible."

R3 took offense in the remark the general made to his mistress. He made some angry noises before he short-circuited. Rani said, "Oh, no. His motivator's gone out again. I need to take him to Milagro for repairs." Grievous knew there were Separatist spies in the factory based there, but he couldn't tell Rani lest he should blow the plot.

After Rani took R3 back into the house, Grievous asked her, "You said the pirates' base was near a city. I cannot risk being seen in your airspeeder." Rani smirked, "That's why I have my cargo transport. I use it to carry freight, be it goods or anything else. I have a second garage below the first floor where I keep it." Grievous knew what she was suggesting and felt indignant about it. However, at this point, he had no other alternative, so he groaned, "Is the trunk opaque?"


	4. Paths Intertwined

Rani's cargo transport, the _Wanderer_ , sped all across the plains of Jharona before reaching Dessoux, where the crystal blue waters of the planet kissed the sunny shores of the port city. The _Wanderer_ was a sleek vehicle separated into two parts: a boxed-in driver's seat fit for two and a dark gray durasteel trunk. Despite its appearance as a speeder, the small transport had hyperdrive installed for intergalactic trips. The _Wanderer_ slowed when a run-down building came into view. It stopped just short of the cracked pale walls surrounding the compound.

Just about a minute later, a Weequay appeared on one of the turrets and demanded, "Who goes thar?!" Rani rolled down her side window and leaned over it. She shouted, "I'm Rani, Rani Captague! Captain Rhayme and I have met before. If you don't believe me, I have the insignia to prove it." She pressed a button on her control panel and a hologram flashed from the lens on the front of the truck. The Weequay's eyes widened as he saw the Captague emblem - the Aurebesh letter "C" in a circle with wings - flickering in front of the transport.

He then laughed, "Well, I'll be…A genuine Captague! Er, come on in, miss. Captain Rhayme will be delighted to see ya!" Just after he disappeared, the double doors slid open, allowing Rani entry. She gladly drove her vehicle into the base.

In the open area that the pirates had made their great hall, vagabonds and cutthroats were feasting and laughing. The Weequay guard stepped inside and said, "Captain, Ms. Rani Captague's here to see ya." Captain Rhayme straightened in her chair and said, "Really? Send her in." The Weequay ushered Rani inside and Rhayme remarked, "Well, well, well. I didn't expect you to drop by. How's your grandma these days?"

Rani answered, "She's doing okay in retirement." Rhayme leaned forward, "Taking on the family business, huh? I thought merchants didn't deal with pirates such as me and my loyal crew." The human girl said, "As I understand with pirates, they steal, raid, and plunder. I've only heard about your recent venture hours ago. It was a daring heist, I must say."

The captain looked at her after she finished sipping her whiskey, "It was lucky on our part. A Separatist ship just dropped in from out of nowhere. To us, it was like gold from heaven. We've got a lot of valuable stuff here that the Republic could use…if they're willing to strike a deal with us. We even have a rare Belbullab-22 starfighter on our hands. Judging by the custom-made adjustments, it must belong to someone very important."

"I know…because it's _mine_."

The pupils in the pirates' eyes shrunk as soon as they heard that menacing voice. A grim shadow cast itself from the door to the edge of Lassa's table. Rhayme's heart skipped a beat when she saw the metallic general known as Grievous enter the hall. The captain didn't know how to respond to an imposing figure such as he, but she calmed herself and asked Rani in a smooth voice, "Why, Rani, I didn't know you were joining the Separatists." Grievous almost wished that the young girl would, but Captague firmly gave her answer, "You shot down his ship, so I'm only helping him get off Jharona so it doesn't get pulled into the war." Grievous pulled out two lightsabers and ignited them as he said, "I'll give you two options: hand over my starfighter or be eliminated."

Lassa, keeping her fear contained, simply said, "All right. We'll give your starfighter back…on the condition that we keep the rest of the loot we took from the ship." Grievous scoffed, "Do whatever you wish with it. It is useless to me."

The pirates hauled the _Soulless One_ out into the open just minutes later. Grievous decided to spare the Blood Bone Order because killing them would be a waste of time. After all, he had to meet with Count Dooku before the general was declared MIA. While Grievous was checking for any damage the pirates might have done to his ship, Rani walked up to him and said, "When you return to the war, please don't mention how I helped you." Grievous chuckled, "Believe me, I would much rather not say anything about how I was saved. That would not bode well for my reputation."

Rani knew how much his ego meant to him, so she gave a small smirk of acknowledgment. When he looked at her playful face, he felt something spark within him. He was a fearsome general and had committed many war crimes, yet Rani found it in her heart to help him. In truth, Grievous was too prideful to even say 'thank you'. Instead, he simply nodded and jumped into his starfighter. Before the viewport slid onto the cockpit, Grievous said to her, "I hope our paths don't cross again. I'd hate to be the one in distress all the time."

The girl smiled, "You're strong enough to handle yourself. You don't need me." Grievous said in a calm voice, "I sincerely hope not." He then took off and headed into space. He couldn't help but take one last glance at Jharona before jumping into hyperspace. If he and Rani ever did meet again, he hoped it would be to purchase something. Then again, what in the galaxy could he possibly need?

 ** _It had been so long since I last saw her. Sometimes, I found myself wanting to see her again, but then I reminded myself that she would never get involved in the war. She was just a merchant. Well, an_** **aspiring** ** _merchant. I, on the other hand, was a warlord. I found waging battles and killing enemies to be my calling. Rani hadn't even found hers yet!_**

 ** _Why would I ever need something from a simple girl like her?_**

After having won many battles, Grievous found it degrading to lose the Bothawui system to the Republic. He rendezvoused with a Separatist frigate and went straight to the bridge. Just as he sat down on the command chair, one of the droids told him, "General, we have word from our spies that General Skywalker had lost his astromech droid during the battle." Grievous found this information to be useful and began concocting a plan. He ordered, "Find any scavengers nearby the Bothawui system. I want to find that R2 unit so we can plunder its secrets! As for Skywalker, I think I have just the trap to use on him."

He soon contacted the spies on Milagro and told them to find a suitable astromech to serve as a spy for him. As they were showing the droids off to him – and he kept rejecting them – Grievous caught a glimpse of something moving across the viewscreen. He pointed at it and ordered, "There! On your right! I would like to see that droid!" Much to the chagrin of the astromech, the spies brought it forward to face Grievous on the screen. The general knew exactly who this droid was: R3-S6.

The spies said, "But, General, this R3 unit already belongs to someone. The owner is of neutral affiliation to the war." Though Grievous knew he would be stealing from the girl who once helped him, he growled, "I do not care! Reprogram it and then send it to me!" The spies obeyed and R3 tried to fight them as they led him away. As much as he hated the droid's attitude, Grievous couldn't help but feel a little guilty that he was doing this to Rani. However, he decided to ignore the feeling and focus on his plan.

R3 still tried to resist the spies to no avail. He was placed on a repair platform and was attached to several cords. While the Separatist spies were preparing to reprogram him, R3 sent out a distress signal. As soon as they knew what he was doing, they shut him off and began to work on him. Little did they suspect that one droid was watching the scene in horror.

Back on Jharona, Rani was busy making new crafts when an alarm went off. She rushed to her computer and found that R3 was sending a distress call before shutting off a few seconds later. She instantly knew that this meant trouble. The only way to find out was to go to Milagro herself.

She flew to the factory where R3 was undergoing repairs. She said to the Rodian in charge, "Hello. I've come to retrieve my droid, R3-S6." The head informed her, "I'm so sorry. Your astromech was beyond repair. It could not be saved. My sincerest apologies, miss."

Rani sadly nodded and said, "It's all right. I'm sure you did everything you could. Thank you." She walked back to her transport until she heard metallic footsteps. She turned to see a pit droid running up to her. The droid said, "Your astromech wasn't beyond repair. The mechanics were."

The girl looked at it in confusion and asked, "The mechanics?" The pit droid continued, "They were told to reprogram R3. He's…one of the Separatists now." Rani looked at the factory and deduced that there might be spies working as Republic mechanics. She returned her gaze to the droid and asked, "Do you know who ordered the mechanics to reprogram my droid?" The pit droid nodded as if afraid to say and then said slowly, "General Grievous."

Rani felt shock, anger, and betrayal all at the same time. Of course, she should've expected this from someone as ruthless as he was. She may have saved him from a watery grave, but that didn't guarantee that he would turn over a new leaf. Besides, he cared more about his war than any being, sentient and droid. That applied to R3 as well.

She ushered the pit droid back inside before speaking to the Rodian manager again. She asked him, "Would it be possible to speak with the mechanics who had R3 last? I'm sure that my droid only had a slight malfunction, nothing major." The Rodian complied, "Of course. I'll take you to them."

The head of the factory led her to the work station where the mechanics were. The Rodian said to the group, "Gentlemen, this young lady requires an audience with you. She says it concerns her R3 unit." Just then, his commlink chirped. He turned to go as he said, "Excuse me. I have to take this in my office."

As soon as he left, Rani turned to the mechanics and said, "My droid, R3-S6, only needed his holoprojector adjusted, not to be reprogrammed." The mechanics stood in stunned silence as she continued, "I know you're Separatist spies working for General Grievous. He requested my droid, didn't he?" One of the spies spoke up, "We told him that the R3 unit already had an owner! He wouldn't listen and insisted that it'd be reprogrammed and sent to him."

Rani knew she had to confront Grievous, but how could she if he traveled across the galaxy on his campaigns? Then, she got an idea. She told the mechanics, "Contact Grievous for me or I will expose you to the Republic." The spies turned to each other, weighing their options. Finally, they sighed, "We might not be able to reach him for quite some time." She took out a small disk and said to the mechanics, "Here's my calling chip. When you get the chance to talk to him, call me so you can put me through.

"Do that and I will not turn you in." One of the spies asked her, "I don't understand. Why won't you?" Rani shrugged, "I'm neutral. I'm not going to involve myself in a war that only tears the fabric of society and morality apart."

It took a while before the spies were able to get hold of Grievous in his lair. Just as Rani entered her house, the hologram button was beeping. She pressed it and the image of one of the mechanics appeared. "We finally reached General Grievous," he said. "Shall I put you through?"

Rani nodded, "Yes, please. Thank you for doing this. One more thing, though: don't listen in on the conversation I'm about to have with the general unless you want to go to prison." The mechanic complied and patched Grievous's transmission through.

The general's golden eyes slit as he said, "I assume you know?" Rani leaned forward on her computer desk and said, "There's a reason I stay out of the war: people and droids get hurt, especially those dear to me." Grievous clasped his hands together as he continued, "Let's think of it this way: your astromech served a great cause by being my espionage droid. I suppose you could say that he was on _both_ sides of the war rather than _none_ like you." "You knew he was my droid and deliberately stole him from me even after all I did for you!" Rani argued.

"Droids can easily be replaced," Grievous said. "Just ask anyone." Rani fumed, "Even droids have personalities like sentients. The same sentients you mercilessly take their lives from." The cyborg said, "It's all a part of warfare, Rani. You have to take lives in order to achieve victory. Such was the case with your little R3 unit."

Rani's eyes widened until they narrowed as she said in a low tone, "With someone like you, it's a wonder you're still breathing while others are no longer existing." She then turned off the hologram before he had a chance to say anything.

To Grievous, the last sentence Rani had said suggested that she was really saying "I wish I never saved you." This stung him in an unfamiliar way, but it also sparked his anger.

 ** _Forget about her. She wasn't worth my time or my rage. She was no fighter and she had intended to stay out of the war. She meant nothing to me…or did she?_**

 ** _Soon after I spoke with Rani, I began to have disturbing dreams. These nightmares were often of either Rani killing me or the other way around. During the ones where I killed Rani, I had this inexplicable guilt, a feeling I couldn't explain. The dreams shook me so much that I began losing battles due to loss of focus. It was because of this that Count Dooku decided to test me by bringing Jedi into my lair. Though I succeeded in killing the Jedi Knight, I lost my pet, Gor, at the hands of Fisto._**

 ** _After Dooku had chided me for failing to kill the Jedi Master, I was still reeling from the loss of my roggwart. My doctor droid could be repaired, but Gor could not. It was then that a familiar name came popping into my head, one who I remembered went through the same thing with her droid._**

 ** _Rani…_**


	5. Two Different Ideals

**_What had Rani truly said the last time we spoke to each other? To put it in simple terms, I was alive while others were dead. In addition to the countless beings I coldly murdered, there were some of the deceased I knew. These were the Jedi, the clones, their commanders, and…my family. War was a part of tradition on my planet, so it was why some of my kin had died early. But many others had been killed by the Republic…and the Jedi. This was but one of the reasons I wanted vengeance against the corrupt government._**

 **** ** _Rani, however, wasn't like them. She wasn't willing to get involved in the fighting because of the many lives it cost. I suppose she wanted to keep her family safe because of that. Then again, how safe would one be in a time of war?_**

 ****The _Soulless One_ dropped out of hyperspace over Jharona. With a giant crate in tow, the starfighter descended into the atmosphere and flew over to Rani's mountain house. Inside the house, Rani heard a familiar sound that she only heard once before, but it was unmistakable. In dread, she rushed to the window and saw the Belbullab-22 starfighter land at the foot of the mountain. Almost immediately after she saw Grievous leap out of his ship, she closed the blinds and locked the door. Just then, she heard the hologram button beep. She dearly hoped it would be a coincidental call from someone else, but her heart dropped when she answered it.

An image of Grievous holding a holoprojector in his palm appeared. He said as if to stop her, "Before you say anything, let me explain." Rani crossed her arms and said in a wary tone, "All right." He said, "I did not come here to harm you or your planet. I only want to bury someone very dear to me." This surprised Rani, for she never would have known that the general did have someone he cared for. Letting her guard down a bit, she asked, "Does it have to do something with that huge box you've got out there?"

Grievous nodded, "It contains the body of my pet roggwart." Rani became more stunned. He had a pet? The cyborg general known for his brutal attacks had a pet? She couldn't quite believe this, so she remarked, "Your pet? I never really could've guessed that you had a pet. I mean, with someone of your reputation…"

The general stated, "Yes, one would think so. Would it make more sense if I clarified that he was some sort of watchdog?" Rani rubbed the back of her neck and said, "I suppose it would." She faced him again as she asked, "Why do you want to bury your…guard pet here?" Now it was Grievous's turn to pause until he said, "Because…you know what it is like to lose someone close to you." Rani differed, "I can get another droid, it's okay. But you can't replace something like a pet.

"It's a life, and lives are not easily replaceable." Grievous looked at her with warm eyes, "Then you understand me."

They put the crate with Gor's body in a bare cave before they paid a moment of silence to him. Grievous was about to go until Rani suggested, "General, would you like to say any parting words?" He looked at her and he said, "I never do well with long good-byes." He then took his blaster and shot at the rocks above the entrance to seal the cave.

They stayed down in the canyon for a long time. They couldn't go back to Rani's house lest they should risk Grievous's starfighter being seen. Rani couldn't find anything to say in fear of bringing up a touchy subject. Grievous found the silence to be awkward and so began to speak, "Gor wasn't the only one I cared for who died. There were others." This caught Rani's interest and she listened intently.

He continued, "You have a reason to stay _out_ of the war, but I have one to stay _in_. Long ago, I had wanted to become a Jedi. I always believed that I had the potential despite not being Force-sensitive. When they rejected me, I took matters into my own hands. I began to dispose of the flesh I had come to view as weak and traded it for cybernetic improvements. With this metal body, I could rival any Jedi who dared cross my path.

"When I began to wage war with the Jedi, the Republic saw this as a threat and nearly decimated my people for retribution for my actions." Hearing the screams of the Kaleesh in his head brought back pain in his heart and fueled his anger. He was only barely able to tolerate it when he spoke again, "I couldn't bear to see any more of my family suffer, so I went into self-exile until Count Dooku found me. He saw that I had prowess and skill enough to learn the ways of the Jedi. He had, after all, once been a Jedi Master until he saw how corrupt and vile the Republic and the Jedi Order had become. I accepted the opportunity to be trained by him as a way to exact my revenge on the scum that had taken so many lives from me."

After being in silence for a while, Rani asked, "Is that how you became involved in the war?" Grievous nodded, "Yes, and in exchange for helping my people." She then deduced, "You're also using it as a chance to pay back for your people's lives with the lives of those loyal to the Republic." Grievous clenched his fist as he growled, "To make them bleed." Rani winced at that and said, "I believe that war is nothing more than a game of revenge. If the Republic is as cruel as you say, why should the Separatists be any better?"

The cyborg looked at her in angered disbelief and asked indignantly, "Why do you suggest such a thing? The Republic should pay for their misdeeds!" Rani countered, "And yet, you're using murder to justify your actions. It's just endless and needless killing. Look what happened to Gor! Look what happened to R3! War means nothing if not destruction."

Grievous scoffed, "How can one such as you possibly understand? You do not even know how to fight. You are only a human girl who wishes to pursue brief sanctuary. You cannot run away from war. It will always find you no matter where you are."

Rani couldn't help but feel that he made a good point. She knew she had to defend herself, but how? She carried very little weapons, and she could not risk exposing the one deep secret she was forced to hide. She turned to him and suggested, "If I can't run, then you might as well teach me how to fight."

The general faced her in surprise and tried to comprehend what she just said. She continued, "I may not side with either the Republic or the Separatists, but maybe I could learn how to defend myself in times of danger." Grievous sat in silence for a few moments until he put a hand on her shoulder. He said to her, "If you wish to stay neutral, I cannot convince you otherwise. You have an indomitable spirit, and for that, I will gladly teach you how to fight."

 ** _I knew that it would mean carrying on the legacy of my ancestors, and I couldn't be prouder. But still, how was Rani going to prepare herself for the training ahead? I asked myself three questions: would she handle it, was she capable, and would she even survive at all?_**

Rani followed him back to his lair in her transport. When she arrived, she could barely see anything amidst the thick fog blanketing the moon. Grievous faced his ship towards the cliff and the doors to the hangar opened. Rani saw this and asked him via the comm on her control panel, "Where am I supposed to land?" Grievous replied, "Just look for a flat rock to set your transport down on." Rani shrugged and looked for such a rock. When she found it, she carefully landed her aircraft upon it.

Grievous was just getting out of his starfighter when he heard Rani's voice ask, "There are guards standing at the doorway. What should I do?" He groaned and then answered, "Hold on. I'll come out there." He made his way to the entrance and told his MagnaGuards to stand down. Rani then safely got out of her vehicle and joined Grievous inside his fortress.

Rani looked all around the dim hallways. Grievous's abode was so massive compared to her house. Though his castle was clearly all metal, the decoration and ornamentation seemed to reflect a native culture, not cutting-edge technology. The castle in whole gave off an air that was sort of primitive. To her, it almost felt like it was part of the natural world.

The two made their way to the sanctum overlook before Grievous pushed a button on the chair. A door slid open and they stepped inside another hall. When they reached the first door, it slid open to reveal a statue of a Kaleesh warrior holding a disembodied head. Rani was amazed by the figure and dared to ask, "Was this you before you became a cyborg?" Grievous nodded as he stepped inside the room, "Yes, it was."

He went to one of the compartments and pulled out two staffs. He went to her and gave her one of them. He said as he did so, "This is a training staff. The youths on my planet would practice their combat skills using these. This is what you'll be doing first. If you can master the art of the staff, then you'll be ready for the next level. The Kaleesh have a tradition of intense training, so you best prepare yourself for what lies ahead."

They went out to a landing platform, where Rani asked, "Why couldn't I land my transport here?" Grievous said, "We need a place to train, don't we? As I had been told once, 'never question the teacher'. I advise you do the same." Rani only nodded in understanding.

The two assumed their attack stances as they readied to begin. Rani was as prepared as she could be, but she didn't anticipate a strike from Grievous's staff so quickly. She fell to the ground as he chastised, "Your willpower is made of words, not of strength. If you can prove yourself competent, then show me!"

Grievous raised his staff and was about to deal Rani another blow. She surprised him by blocking it with her own staff. She got up just in time to barely parry his weapon. She blocked some moves and got hit by others. Grievous then remarked, "I'm going easy on you, but I will take it up a notch to truly test your skills."

His moves came in at such a speed that Rani was not able to deflect them all. She moved backwards as Grievous advanced towards her. He stopped, but only for a moment until he raised his leg and kicked her squarely in the stomach.

 ** _I thought she was going to land on her back, but I didn't think that…_**

 ****"AAAAAHHHH!"

Grievous rushed over to the edge and saw Rani falling down to her doom.

 ** _It was a mistake! I didn't intend for her to fall off the platform! I could only stand by and watch as my student and one-time savior disappeared into the fog. For the first time in so long, I felt my guilt overwhelm me since the massacre of my people._**

 ****Just then, he saw a flash of light in the mist. He was confused and wondered what this meant. The light drew closer and closer to the platform until Rani emerged from the fog…with Diathim wings! They were a bright cream with four blue spots with a yellow center. Grievous was so amazed that he stumbled backwards as Rani faced him. She smiled nervously, "Surprise."


	6. Beneath the Surface

Though stunned by this revelation, Grievous managed to stammer, "You…Are you dead?" Rani said as she landed on the platform, "Nope. I'm still alive." After he got back on his feet, he grabbed Rani's hand. Even though he couldn't feel anything, he felt a pressure when squeezing Rani's hand. This was a good sign.

He then fingered her wings and the pressure he felt from them proved that they were real as well. Grievous stepped back and asked, "How is this even possible? You didn't have wings before!" Rani explained, "I usually keep them absorbed in my body until I spread them. I'm half-human, half-Diathim."

Grievous remembered what she had said about the Captagues the day he crash-landed on Jharona. He asked, "So the wayward son and the angel…" Rani nodded, "They're my parents." The cyborg was now confused. Didn't he see an image of a human couple when he was wandering through Rani's house? Unless…

He mentally face-palmed when he realized that the couple he saw wasn't her parents. Still, he was amazed that she had Diathim blood in her. To him, it made her remarkable. No wonder she had a good and kind spirit, but what about her willingness to fight? He assumed it might've come from her human genes.

The general then suggested, "Perhaps your wings can be used to your advantage."Rani shook her head, "No, I prefer to keep my wings a secret. I only use them either when no one's watching or if it's absolutely necessary." Grievous said, "Like when you fell off the platform?" There was an undertone of guilt in his voice because he didn't want to admit that he kicked her off there in the first place. Rani nodded, "Yes."

Grievous looked at her wings again and asked, "How do your wings appear and disappear, even without ripping your clothes?" Rani shrugged, "I guess it's a miracle that my wings don't rip my shirt. But I can show you how I absorb and spread them." She turned her back towards him and the wings touched each other before folding into her body. Almost an instant later, her wings popped back out again, but at a faster speed than when they were being absorbed.

He exclaimed, "Incredible! Given your appearance, I never would've guessed that you'd be at least a _fraction_ of an angel!" Rani remarked playfully, "Oh, as if my altruistic nature wasn't enough?" Grievous said, "No, no! What I simply meant was that I didn't think that you'd actually _have_ some Diathim in you. How did your father manage to win over someone like an angel?" Rani shrugged, "Well, since you now know that I'm part Diathim, I guess I might as well spill."

Grievous didn't have any extra seats in his lair, so he and Rani decided to talk in the trunk of the _Wanderer_. Thankfully, she had some crates for foodstuffs and her essentials, so she and the general each sat on one of them. She began to speak, "I call my ship the _Wanderer_ for a reason. Years ago, my dad was that sort of person. He traveled the galaxy for mere adventure and a bit of education on the side. My grandma always financed his trips…on the condition that he sold her goods on the planets he visited. Of course, he always bought more than he sold.

"One day, he was traveling over Iego when pirates ambushed him and his crew. Dad was the only survivor and might not have been if someone hadn't rescued him. When he woke up, he gazed up at the most beautiful creature he had ever seen. He later told me that he considered himself lucky that he had met a real angel. The angel who saved him was my mother.

"She told me that when they met, she fell for him. She said it was his eyes that attracted her. Her family had no gripes about her falling in love with a human, but she wanted to make sure that he wasn't falling for looks alone. She invited him to stay on Millius Prime for a while and he accepted. He called his mother to let her know he was safe and told her he was planning to stay somewhere for a while. He thought that since the moon where Mom lived was a sanctuary, he wanted it to stay that way.

"The days soon turned into weeks and Dad found it harder to leave Mom and her family. The more time he spent with them, the more he looked beyond their beauty and learned more about them. As much as he wanted to return to wandering about the galaxy, he found he loved Mom more than his travels. Besides her beauty, there was her fiery personality and her funny wit. She was sort of unorthodox for an angel. Despite her charitable nature, she was curious about what lay beyond her home.

"Dad wanted her to come with him, but she knew that if she were to venture far from the safety of Millius Prime, certain people would extort her and never let her return. He knew then that he faced a choice: resume adventuring or stay with Mom. The angels decided to give him a test to reveal his true nature. When it was done, Dad simply said that he wanted to have an adventure…with Mom. She and her family rejoiced because it meant Dad wanted to stay with her and begin a new life with her.

"Dad's family attended the wedding and spread the news only as a rumor. They left it at that in accordance to Dad's wishes. My sister and I were born and raised on Millius Prime until we became of age. We left our home before the Clone Wars started, so we simply chose our new homes out of choice. I went to Jharona and she went to…Naboo."

Grievous only sat in silence until Rani said, "You don't seem very upset with the fact that my sister's living on a planet affiliated with the Republic." The cyborg looked at her and said, "Rani, I must confess. When you allowed me to explore your house, I also took the liberty of looking through some of your files." Rani nodded, "I know." Grievous looked at her in surprise until she explained, "I noticed that one of the holodisks in my bedroom was upside-down. I was worried that you'd send a fleet after me if what you found in my files alarmed you."

The general said, "Well, I only looked at a data file with your list of contacts and two with some humans. How are they related to you, exactly?" Rani answered, "Well, the disk you had upside down was of my Aunt Rodessa and Uncle Clive, and the other one must've been of my sister." Grievous remarked, "Ah. No wonder she looked a lot like you. I'm supposing you and your sister have taken your looks from only one of your parents." Rani smiled, "My dad, mostly, but we have Mom's hair color."

 ** _Amazing! She was part angel and I didn't realize it! How she graced my life was beyond me. I was very lucky to have been saved by her at all. Still, was I even worthy of having an angel – if only a half one – looking out for me, even after all I had done – and was still doing – in the war?_**

They resumed their training on the ground this time. Grievous didn't want to accidentally knock her off the platform again. Rani had absorbed her wings so they would not get injured during the session. She did fairly good in her training overall, but she still had a long way to go. She and Grievous agreed that she would stay at his lair for a while until he had important business to attend to. The general didn't want Rani sleeping out in her transport, so he invited her to sleep in his chamber…provided that she wouldn't pull a sneak attack on him. Rani accepted the offer, though she knew that their trust in each other was still a bit shaky.

The first night they slept in the same room, Grievous couldn't sleep. When she heard him groan, Rani asked, "Are you all right?" Grievous turned on his bed to face her and said, "No. I cannot sleep." She asked, "Do you want me to help you?" He felt embarrassed to request for such aid, but since she was half-Diathim, maybe she could. He sighed, "Perhaps you could sing something so I could rest my eyes."

Rani sat up in her sleeping bag and began thinking of every song she knew. When she finally settled on one, she started to sing, " _Shades of night are falling…as the wind begins to sigh…and the world is silhouetted 'gainst the sky…Blue shadows on the trail…Blue moon shining through the trees…And the plaintive wail from the distance…comes a-drifting on the evening breeze…_

 _"_ _Move along, blue shadows…Move along…Soon the dawn will come and you'll be on your way…But until the darkness sheds its veil…there'll be blue shadows on the trail…_

 _"_ _Move along, move along, blue shadows… Move along, move along, move along, move along…Soon the dawn will come and you'll be on your way, on your way…But until the darkness sheds its veil…there'll be blue shadows on the trail…Shadows on the trail…"_

Grievous looked at her with weary eyes and said, "That is a beautiful song. I thank you for singing it to me." Rani smiled, "You're welcome. I'm glad I could help." Grievous smiled behind his mask before drifting off to sleep.

 ** _What had I done to deserve a girl like her? Surely, I had to go back to fighting against the Republic, but what of Rani, this gracious being? Would she still forgive me after I commit crime after war crime? Sweet girl, I wouldn't blame her for suddenly turning her back on me. With someone as vicious as I was, it was only a matter of time before she despised me. The question was, 'when'?_**


	7. Opening Up

They spent a whole week training. Grievous noticed that Rani's progress with using the staff was improving, so he assigned his MagnaGuards to fight her. She surprised him by taking out at least one of them. In addition to the staff training, Rani and Grievous ran throughout the castle to enhance her speed. She was used to flying, but as quickly as she mastered the staff, her running got better and better. Despite her peaceful nature, Grievous saw that she had the potential for being a warrior.

While they were training with their staffs one afternoon, they heard the distant sound of a ship descending. Grievous ordered, "Get back inside, now!" Rani did as he told her and retreated into the castle. She waited in the sanctum overlook for a long time until she heard the familiar clanking of metal feet. She saw Grievous approaching the doorway and he said, "Rani, I would like you to meet my doctor droid, EV-A4-D."

He stepped to the side to reveal a supervisor droid. A4-D was surprised to see a human girl at his master's lair. The last time sentient beings other than Grievous and Gor came to the castle, they wreaked all sorts of havoc. Grievous continued, "He had to be repaired after an unfortunate incident." He then turned to his doctor droid and said, "Doctor, this is Rani Captague. We met while I was on the run after the destruction of my battleship."

A4-D extended a claw and Rani shook it as he said, "Pleased to meet you, Ms. Captague." Grievous explained, "She'll be staying here while she's training with me, so do not say anything about her presence here." A4-D remarked, "I can tell this has 'secret' written all over it." The cyborg turned to Rani and told her, "If you'll excuse me, I must speak with my doctor droid. Please feel free to explore my home, but only if you do not touch anything." Rani smirked because she knew she had said those same words almost exactly.

Grievous took A4-D out into the hallway, where the latter said, "Was that the girl who yelled at you for losing her droid?" Grievous glared at him as he answered, "Yes, she is. She has been very kind to me, Doctor, so do not ruin this under any circumstances." A4-D remarked, "Oh, I see. You like her." The general pointed a finger at him and warned, "Do not make me regret having you reassembled, or else."

A4-D knew better than to push the subject further, so he asked, "What is she training here for?" Grievous answered, "Rani wants to learn the art of combat so she could defend herself when necessary." The doctor droid asked, "So she is not switching sides?" Grievous sighed, "No, but I somewhat wish she was."

"Master, you know you cannot have relationships in a time of war."

"And how do you know? Has anyone showed you mercy even though you don't deserve it? Has anyone helped you despite being feared throughout the galaxy? I have no one besides you and Rani! With Gor now dead, you and she are the only ones I can count on right now. Well, you're here just to repair me and maintain my castle. Rani, on the other hand, offers so much more."

A4-D was somewhat offended by that remark, but decided to let it go. He became more focused on the fact that his master was taken with this girl. He wondered if Rani could be trusted at all, but Grievous hardly trusted anybody. If the general brought her to his lair, there must be something about her that he was drawn to. The doctor droid advised, "I think you should exercise caution before becoming close to the girl." Grievous said, "Of course I am. Do you think I'm a fool?"

 ** _I was so caught up in the moment when I retorted about having my doctor and Rani being my support. I didn't know what had come over me. I suppose it was because there was no one else in the galaxy like Rani. But my doctor droid did make an excellent point. I still had to be careful before I would even think of opening myself completely to Rani. After all, who would ever think of befriending a steel warlord, especially one who commits atrocious acts of vengeance?_**

During her time at Grievous's lair, Rani explored some more rooms. One had two statues depicting the general's gradual transformation into a cyborg and another room was a warehouse full of his spare parts. Rani thought, _So that's how he looks so brand new after a battle._ She had also seen his trophy room, where she had to hide her shock and abhorrence when she saw all of the lightsabers and Padawan braids Grievous had collected. It was some time before the general showed her the control room because of what had happened there not so long ago. He needed to have everything repaired in his lair after the Jedi had intruded there.

When they took breaks from training, Rani told Grievous stories of the angels of Iego. Some were based in legend while others were completely true. He was amazed to hear them all straight from a half-Diathim. He could still hardly believe that she came from a line of supposedly-mythical creatures. He himself had dismissed them as a fairy tale, but when he saw Rani's wings, he knew that the angels had to be real. He asked if he could see an image of her parents whenever possible. She smiled and agreed.

Rani's fighting skills progressively became better. When she was able to take out Grievous with her staff, he commended, "Well done, Rani! That was excellent! It seems that I've taught you well. You still need to practice so you don't lose the knack of it, though." Rani smiled, "Thank you, and I will."

Just then, A4-D came out of the entrance and said, "Master, Count Dooku wishes to speak with you." Grievous told him, "I'll be quick." He turned to Rani and said, "I think it's best that we part ways now. I have a war to return to and Count Dooku will be suspicious if I don't resume my duties." Rani nodded, "I understand. I need to return to my life, too. People will suspect something if I'm gone for too long." Grievous smiled, "Then we're in the same ship."

After Grievous was done speaking with Dooku, he walked up to Rani and said, "I would like to run around the fortress one more time before you have to leave." Rani nodded, "Okay." She raced with him down the hallways as he shouted commands like "Left! Right! Right!" They eventually got to a corner of the castle Rani hadn't seen before.

Grievous walked towards the door and pressed a button on the side of it. The door opened to reveal assorted memorabilia, from weapons to portraits to keepsakes. The general explained, "This is my room for items from my glorious past. Time and again, I like to remind myself of the life I had on Kalee before I left. It helps rejuvenate my pride and reminds me of what I'm fighting for."

He went to over to his weaponry and grabbed a long spear decorated with strange feathers and markings. He walked back to Rani and said, "This was a favored weapon of mine back in my youth. Now, I give it to you. You have proven yourself with a staff and have thus earned the right to use this. I have no more need for it, but handle it with care." Rani nodded, "I will."

Just before Rani got into her transport, she said to Grievous, "Thank you for training me and giving me a token of yours." The general said, "I hope it's not a mistake on my part. I shall call you back for further training when the time is right." Rani smiled, "All right. Meet you then." She climbed into the _Wanderer_ and took off.

A4-D looked at his master and remarked, "I wouldn't mind seeing her again." Grievous glared at the doctor droid and warned, "Don't get any ideas."

 **Author's Note: So, how am I doing with Grievous's character? Am I handling him well or do you think his relationship with Rani is progressing too fast? Also, what did you think of Rani being half-Diathim? Please review this so I can hear your feedback. I would appreciate it very much. Thank you for reading this. :)**


	8. A Race against Time

**_I soon returned to the Clone Wars. Though I waged battle after battle, I didn't forget the girl who was like an angel to me…possibly because she partially was. She surprised me all those times we were together. I did enjoy warmongering, but I enjoyed Rani's company just as much. I didn't know when I'd ever see her again…until one memorable day…_**

Grievous had sustained another scrape in battle and went back to his lair to be repaired. After A4-D gave him a new arm, the control panel began to beep. The doctor droid checked it and found that a ship was heading for the castle. He went out and came back with a crate. Grievous stood up as A4-D explained, "Master, your replacement bodyguards have just been delivered." The general said, "What are you waiting for? Open it!"

A4-D did as he was told and opened the crate. They peered inside to find MagnaGuards…and a beeping sphere! "A bomb!" the doctor droid cried. Grievous hurriedly pushed the crate out the door and closed it. He covered himself before…

 _KA-BOOM!_

Grievous opened his eyes to see blue smoke now pouring into the control room. He stood up and looked through the thickening fog to see A4-D unscathed by the blast. He demanded, "Doctor, what is this smoke? It's not usual for a bomb!" A4-D said, "Hold on, I'm scanning the mist." After a few moments or so, the doctor gasped, "No…it can't be!" Grievous asked, trying vainly to mask his worry, "What is it, Doctor?!"

"It's an airborne strain of the Blue Shadow Virus!"

Grievous reeled back as the news sunk in. He was sure Republic spies had done this to kill him, but how was it possible? The disease had long ago been eradicated because no life form was immune to it. Even he wasn't immune. It was only a matter of time before he…

No! He couldn't let that happen! There had to have been some way…or someone…

It was a miracle Grievous was still alive, but his doctor had calculated that the general would have 48 hours left to live. Even now, the disease was ravaging whatever organs he had left. A4-D had to contact Rani and tell her to come to the castle. The droid also advised her to stay inside the transport at all times and take his master somewhere he could be treated. Rani then suggested that she'd take Grievous to Millius Prime since the angels could heal illnesses. Grievous wasn't sure if he'd be wanted there, but he agreed with Rani's judgment.

When Rani landed at a safe distance from the entrance, she made sure to secure the locks on her doors and windows. She looked out to see the entrance opening and Grievous and A4-D emerging from blue fog. The cyborg had to gather much strength as they had to walk all the way from his lair to the _Wanderer_. He barely made it when he and his doctor droid entered the trunk. Rani had cleared out all of the crates and left only a cot for Grievous to lay himself down on. She wasted no time and flew off towards Millius Prime.

While in hyperspace, Rani contacted her parents. The hologram of a human male appeared and he smiled, "Hey, buddy! How are you doing?" Rani dearly wished it could've been her mother who answered, but the girl replied, "I'm okay, Dad. I'm heading to Millius Prime to see you."

"That's great, Rani! Your mom and I are going to be glad to see you!" Rani chuckled nervously, "Yeah, me, mostly. I'm not sure about someone else, though." The grin on her father's face fell as he said, "Uh-oh. Something tells me this can't be good."

Rani told him, "Dad, this…being needs medical attention. Please don't be angry, but it's a 'he'." Her dad stood in silence before asking, "A guy? You're bringing home a guy?" She continued, "Like I said, he needs help. He's been infected with the Blue Shadow Virus and he needs the angels to heal him."

Her father saw the distress on her face and assured, "Okay, don't worry, buddy. Your mother and her clan can fix him up as good as new. There's one thing I hope, though." Rani asked, "What?" Her dad smirked, "I hope this guy's good to you." She uneasily answered, "Eh…more or less." When she turned off the transmission, she thought to herself, _What are my parents going to think of Grievous?_

The _Wanderer_ dropped out of hyperspace over Millius Prime. It was good to be back home and Rani wished Grievous could see the moon…if he wasn't deathly ill. She was glad the Iego system was freed of a Separatist security system that had forced her parents to live on Iego until "Drol" was defeated. Since it was the Separatists that had driven the angels from their home in the first place, she was concerned about what her parents – and pretty much every Diathim – would think when they'd see General Grievous. Well, she just had to suck it up and hope for the best.

Rani landed near the small village where her parents lived. The local Diathim rushed towards the _Wanderer_ to welcome back a daughter of Millius Prime. When Rani got out of the transport, she was greeted with open arms. A4-D and Grievous heard the commotion outside and the droid commented, "Sounds like she's beloved on her homeworld. Why can't you return to yours for your own welcoming committee?" Grievous groaned, "I'd rather not talk about it…especially in my condition."

When the Diathim asked about whether Rani brought anything from beyond the moon, she replied, "Unfortunately, no. I've brought someone who's in desperate need of medical aid. Could I please speak to Cassell and Aurora Captague first?"

"We're already here."

The crowd of angels parted as a couple made their way towards Rani. A slender, tall human male with glasses and peppered hair walked with his beloved, a Diathim with bright blue eyes and brown, curly hair that reached her chest. The couple and their daughter embraced each other in a warm hug. It had been so long since Rani actually saw her parents face-to-face, and now she was glad to be reunited with them. She wanted to hold on to this feeling for as long as she could…before she showed them who was in the trunk.

Aurora said to her daughter, "Daddy tells me you've brought someone here to be treated." Rani said uneasily, "Yeah…you could say that." Cassell whispered to his wife, "Told you. Boyfriend." Rani didn't seem to catch that and continued, "Mom, Dad, all of you, please don't be upset when I show you who's in the trunk." Aurora whispered to her husband, "I have a bad feeling about this." She said to Rani, "We'll be as understanding as we can be."

Slowly, Rani pressed the button on the side of the trunk and the door opened to reveal A4-D and General Grievous, who was still lying on the cot. Collective gasps came from the crowd and nervous chatter soon followed afterwards. Rani's parents were as shocked as the rest of the angels. Cassell then cried out in disbelief, "Grievous?! You brought home General Grievous?!" He sighed as he face-palmed, "What are we going to do with you, pal?"

Rani explained, "Long story short, I saved him from certain death once before and now he's sick with the Blue Shadow Virus. Please, help him." As much as the Separatists had wronged her and her people, Aurora – like other Diathim – could not turn down a cry for help. She turned to her husband and said, "Maybe we should help." Cassell scoffed, "After all the Separatists had done to us? I think Grievous deserves to die for his crimes!"

Aurora calmed him, "He may have done severe wrong to the galaxy, but if we let him die, it will be nothing more than revenge. Rani wouldn't bring him here if she didn't see some good in him. Healing him may not be the easiest path, but it's the right one." The group of Diathim agreed, though hesitantly. Cassell sighed, "Fine. We'll cure him of the Blue Shadow Virus. But if Grievous comes back to spite us, don't say I didn't warn you."

 ** _Was what Rani's mother said true? Did Rani bring me to Millius Prime because she saw some good in me? I honestly thought it was just out of mercy and goodwill, but was there something more?_**

Grievous was carefully brought to the Captagues' house and put on what were once Rani and her sister's beds. They were touching each other at the open ends so that Grievous would have more room to lie on. Rani and A4-D stood over him as she asked, "How are you doing?" Grievous coughed, "I *cough* could be…better. I'm surprised that *cough cough* your parents are willing to help me. *hack*" Rani shrugged, "Well, it's more my mom than my dad."

The ailing cyborg asked, "What of your *cough cough* sister? What would she *wheeze* think of me?" The girl answered, "Probably the same as my parents, but maybe a bit more understanding." Grievous closed his eyes and sighed, "You've done so much for me. I don't know where I'd be without you." A4-D chimed, "Dead, possibly." Grievous glared at the doctor droid and growled, "You're not helping the situation much."

Rani assured the general, "Mom and a team of Diathim are heading to Iego to retrieve reeksa root for the antidote." A4-D asked, "With no ship?" Rani shook her head, "Some Diathim, like Mom, can breathe in space. It's part of the element under which they were born." The doctor asked, "What is yours?" She explained, "I was born under the water sign, so I have certain abilities with water or other watery fluids that other angels don't."

Grievous coughed, "I see. What element enables your mother to *cough* breathe in space?" Rani answered, "Air. There are five elements: fire, water, air, earth, and light. There are key traits that go with them: determination with fire, creativity with water, curiosity with air, humility with earth, and kindness with light." Grievous said, "Huh. It's no wonder you create arts and crafts."

Hours later, Grievous was nearing the point of death. He wheezed, "Rani…? May I…tell you something?" When Rani nodded, he faced his doctor droid and said, "Leave us." A4-D differed, "But if I leave you alone, your chances of survival may lower." Grievous scoffed, "I may die anyway, so just go." The doctor did as he said and left.

Grievous's eyes gazed back towards Rani and said, "I do not know…whether or not your parents…will help me, but I might as well…say this now before it's…too late." Rani nodded as he continued, "Rani…you are an amazing…person…and one of…the kindest I have ever…met. Sometimes I ask myself…'Why did she…save me…when I could've drowned and…let the Clone Wars end?' Maybe it was a mistake…saving me from the sea…The war could've been…shortened had it…not been…for you…"

Rani softly said, "But where would the Kaleesh be if you weren't trying to help them? In that sense, I'm helping you so you can save an entire planet." Grievous scoffed, "Funny. I seem…to destroy….every planet I…conquer." His eyes turned back to Rani as the general asked, "Do you…suppose your…mother could be…right about any good…in me?" Rani shrugged, "Well, I do know more about you now than most people would've. I guess I'm one of the lucky few."

Grievous sighed, "Most would…call it 'unlucky'. I'm the being…everyone should fear…Nothing…can stand…in my way…" Rani smirked, "Not even a virus?" Grievous chuckled, "I wish it was…like that…However…I think…the virus…has got…the better of me…this time."

Rani comforted him, "Don't worry. Mom's going to come back with the root and we'll cure you in no time." Grievous said, "Rani…you helped me…but why should…anybody else…do the same?" He went into a coughing jag before closing his eyes and resting for a bit. Rani softly said, "If no one else is willing to look out for you, then I will." Grievous's darkened eyelids crinkled upwards to suggest that he was smiling.

Minutes later, Cassell came in the room and said, "Mom's got the reeksa root. Are you sure you want to do this? For him?" Though his eyes were closed, Grievous managed to wheeze out, "I may be…ill, but…I can still…hear you." Rani said to her father, "Dad, you don't want to risk getting a fleet sent after you, do you?" Cassell shrugged and left the room.

Rani waited outside while A4-D and some of the angels were working on Grievous. Cassell turned to his daughter and sighed, "Honey, I'm not sure if we should be saving him. He's a dangerous being, after all. The war would end a lot quicker if he was dead." Rani said, "Grievous basically said the same thing. He wonders if I should've saved him at all." Her dad asked her, "By the way, how _did_ you save him the first time?"

Rani told him the story of the day Grievous crash-landed on Jharona and Cassell was amazed. He then asked her, "Then why are you still speaking to him?" Rani then relayed everything from how Grievous took R3 to when they began training. When she finished, her dad told her, "Rani, I don't think you should be involved with this guy. You know what he's capable of. What if he hurts you or something?"

His daughter said, "You're only saying that because he's a Separatist. I don't think that he himself was in this system when Drol was installed." Cassell knew he couldn't convince his daughter of what danger Grievous might be. She did, after all, inherit her mother's determination and mercy. Cassell sighed, "All right, I'll give him a chance, but on two conditions: he doesn't hurt you or this family and he doesn't pull you into the Clone Wars." Rani smiled, "Thank you, Dad."


	9. Meeting the Family

**_I couldn't believe it. She saved me…again! I thought for certain that I was going to die before the angels could heal me. If I had cheeks again, they would've been bright red when I thought of what I had said to Rani during my sick period. I couldn't believe I said that. To me, that was practically saying that I cared for the girl. I hope she didn't catch on._**

 ****Grievous woke up revived and with renewed strength. He was grateful that the Diathim helped him…on Rani's behalf. If she hadn't asked for their help, Grievous wasn't sure if they would've helped him at all. He knew that he was one of the most fearsome beings in the galaxy. Who would offer aid to a dangerous cyborg with bloodlust and a need for revenge? Besides Rani, no one.

Rani soon entered the room and asked, "Hey. How are you doing?" Grievous gestured for her to come closer to him as he said, "I'm feeling better, thanks to you and your clan." Rani said, "You're expected to make a full recovery. You should probably stay in bed for a while, though." He groaned, "Rani, I hate being cooped up. But I'll be willing to tolerate this as long as it restores my health."

The girl smiled, "Hate being the sick one, don't you?" The cyborg scoffed, "I rarely ever get sick, with the exception of my lungs. They don't cope well with my cybernetic body. I should've known that when I was trading my organic body for a metal one. But I suppose that's the price for becoming equal to a Jedi."

Grievous then asked her, "Rani, why did you save me again?" Rani answered, "You were in trouble and I came to your aid. Simple as that." She had a question nag at the back of her mind, so she asked, "How did you get the Blue Shadow Virus, anyway?" Grievous sighed as he shook his head, "I honestly don't know. What I can tell you is that there was a bomb with an airborne strain of the virus and that it was put in a crate full of replacement MagnaGuards. I believe that Republic spies were trying to kill me."

Rani contemplated, "But that doesn't make sense. Neither side of the war would want to bring back a disease that no being is immune to." Grievous smiled, "Then perhaps it is a good thing you are neutral, though I cannot say the same for your sister." Rani said, "Maybe I should contact Rhea and ask her about it." The cyborg said skeptically, "Are you sure that's wise? There's a possibility that she might've been the one who tried to kill me."

The girl looked at him in anger and retorted, "My sister would never hurt a fly! Well, maybe an insect, but certainly not another being! Besides, I haven't told her about you. Maybe it's time you meet her." Grievous said, "Rani, I do not think you should. I don't know whether or not she was responsible for the virus bomb. Even if she isn't, she might not be pleased to see me with you."

Rani shrugged, "I guess we'll have to find out, won't we?" She pressed the holoprojector in the room and waited until an image of another human girl appeared. She looked just like Rani, but with short, wavy hair and wider cheeks. Rhea smiled and waved, "Hi, Rani." Rani greeted back, "Hi, Rhea. Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Did you know that the Blue Shadow Virus has made a comeback?"

Rhea was stunned until she asked, "What?"

"A bomb containing an airborne strain nearly killed a Separatist. Do you know anything about it?"

"I only thought the return of the disease was only a rumor. I didn't think that it was real or made airborne."

"What sort of rumors have you heard?"

"They say a mad scientist had an underground lab on Naboo and that he planned to unleash the Blue Shadow Virus unto the galaxy. Thankfully, he was stopped by the Jedi."

"If the Jedi stopped him, then there could've been no way that he was working for the Republic."

"For all I know, he could've been working for the Separatists."

A metallic voice burst out, "Then why would he send a virus bomb to assassinate me?!"

Rhea stiffened at the sound and asked timidly, "Rani? Who was that?"

Rani sighed, "Rhea, there's someone I brought to Millius Prime to be healed. He's the Separatist who almost died from the virus." She pressed a button so Rani would be able to see more beings in the room. She continued, "It's…General Grievous."

When she was able to see Grievous on the hologram, Rhea was in stunned silence for perhaps a moment before she stuttered, "How…You…When did this…?" Her face then soured into a scowl and she growled, "Rani, you better have a good explanation for this." Rani held up her hands and she said, "I do. I really do."

Though Grievous was hesitant, he decided to let Rani share the details of his rescue. After Rani relayed all the encounters she had with Grievous – with a few omitted parts – Rhea just stood there. The elder sister knew she had to be careful what to say around General Grievous. She chose her words carefully and then said, "Well, it's surprising that you've saved Grievous twice." Grievous said reluctantly, "I know. I do not wish to be in distress so much, but I'm very lucky your sister was there when I needed…" He paused for a moment before continuing, "…it."

Rhea shrugged, "Well, I suppose you have our half-angel heritage to thank." She thought for a moment before she asked, "Uh, General? Would it be okay if I spoke with Rani on another holoprojector?" Grievous tossed up his arm in a shrug as he said, "Wouldn't surprise me a bit. You can take your business somewhere else." Both sisters were afraid that the general was insulted, but Rani disconnected the hologram and went to another part of the house.

Rani activated the holoprojector near the back door and the image of Rhea appeared, exclaiming, "Seriously?!" She checked if Grievous was present, and then continued, "Why did you save someone as treacherous as he is…twice?! Doing that will pull you into the Clone Wars!" Rani argued, "But you were already part of it when Naboo allied with the Republic!"

"Trust me, Rani, I don't like this war as much as you do, but where else am I supposed to go?"

"Maybe you can live with me?"

Rhea made a sound that was half-scoffing and half-chuckling. She shook her hand, "That's beside the point. Plus, I have friends here and some of the Naboo are starving. It's the Diathim way to help those in need." Rani quipped, "Isn't it also the Diathim way to help your enemies?" Rhea face-palmed and groaned, "Oh, great. What did I just say?"

Rani smirked before she said, "That it's viable to help even those who do harm to others."

"But look at what he's done! He's a monster! He kills innocent people, and…"

"He's lying in bed recovering from a dangerous illness. I don't think he's in a position to wreak havoc across the galaxy right now."

"Bringing him to Millius Prime was a big mistake."

"Oh, so you think I should have left him to die from the Blue Shadow Virus?!"

"Yes…no! Arrgh! I don't even know what to think! All I can tell you is that you've got to be extremely careful with this guy, sis. He might pull the rug from underneath you and turn on us. He might not care what you think."

"Maybe, but he seems grateful that I even saved him at all. While he was sick, he told me that even he doubted that I should've rescued him from the sea on Jharona."

"Honey, I think he was out of it when he said that. I know that Grievous will do everything he can to save his own neck. Maybe he just turned to you because he knew you would be willing to save him. He might be taking advantage of you, Rani, so I advise caution at this point."

Rani knew that Rhea was correct, if only partially. She knew that Grievous knew that she would save him again, but what he said when he was sick felt so genuine. It was like he knew that he was like a plague on the galaxy. Maybe he was afraid that Rani would perish because of him. She didn't know how, but she felt like Grievous could be trusted…from a certain point.

She held up her hands and said, "Okay, I'll listen to you. He may be a Separatist, but there can't be any reason he's all bad."

Rhea scoffed/chuckled, "Rani, he is the worst."

Just after Rani left the room to resume her call on another holoprojector, her mother walked into the room with healing agents. Grievous was truly awed by the sight of this Diathim. He may have seen the other angels working to heal him, but he was so sick that he could barely remember. Now, he was actually seeing a Diathim for the first time. He was so taken by her beauty that he could hardly believe that she was real.

He was almost ready to cry when Aurora asked, "You're General Grievous, I assume?" The question made Grievous come back into reality and reminded him that he was a creature of nightmares while the angel before him was like something from a dream. He slowly nodded, "Yes, I am." Aurora then asked while she set down the tray of herbs and lotions, "Are you aware that the Separatists once invaded this system?" Grievous answered, "I do remember that they had made a base here before they abandoned it." She said, "Then you should also know of Drol."

This confused Grievous, so he asked, "'Drol'? Who – or what – is 'Drol'?" Aurora explained, "After the Separatists abandoned Iego, a series of lights in space prevented ships from leaving. We believed that it was a god, so we dubbed it 'Drol'. When the Jedi came to Iego to look for reeksa root, they found that Drol was a security system designed to decimate any departing ships with lasers. Fortunately, they took out the lasers and allowed the angels to return to Millius Prime."

Grievous was disturbed to learn that Jedi came to Iego for some reeksa root. Then, he remembered what Rhea said about a mad scientist working secretly on Naboo. Maybe the Jedi were trying to make an antidote for the virus, but that didn't make sense. Why would they create an antidote if they wanted to kill Grievous with the disease? This made Grievous's head hurt, so he said, "Would you please not talk about the Jedi? It makes me uncomfortable."

He had to remember why he harbored a deep hate for the Jedi. One of the reasons was that they didn't allow him to become one. He had great potential – and still did – and he wasn't about to be discouraged because of their rejection. Another reason he wanted to kill the Jedi was much more painful, but all the more reason to fuel his anger and focus. He intended to use it to his advantage during the war.

Aurora said, "I am aware you possess a profound hatred for the Jedi, but such hate can eat away at you, take your very identity until you are no longer the person you were once before. And tell me: who were you before the war?" Grievous retorted, "I still am what I was before the Clone Wars! I am General Grievous, the mighty and powerful leader of countless troops! I am the one who charges into every battle! I am the savior of Kalee! I gave up everything just to...save them."

He slowed down in mid-sentence so he wouldn't break down in front of Rani's mother, a Diathim. He took a moment to calm himself down and keep his emotions at bay before continuing calmly, "The Jedi…they inflicted suffering upon my people with their precious Republic. I would do _anything_ to see them die for their actions against the Kaleesh." Aurora nodded, "I can understand your pain, but should you really take innocent lives as compensation for the lives lost on Kalee?" Grievous scowled, "They wronged me! I'm simply just righting the misdeeds the Republic had committed against my people."

Aurora cautioned, "If you choose to pursue vengeance, you will lose what matters most to you." Grievous scowled and remained quiet.

 ** _What did she know about vengeance? I had already lost what I had_** **because** ** _of the Jedi and the Republic! They were the corrupt ones and the Kaleesh were innocents who got caught in their line of fire. True, I was partially to blame because of my bloodlust, but the Jedi took what was most precious to me! Besides, what better way to return the 'favor' than to take what is dearly_** **theirs** ** _?_**

About a day had passed before Cassell could bring himself to see Grievous. The cyborg general was sitting on the edge of the beds all revitalized and recovered. He then asked, "You are Rani's father, I presume?" Cassell said reluctantly, "Yes, I am. My name's Cassell. Cassell Captague."

Grievous put a hand on his metal chest and said, "General Grievous. I am the Supreme Commander of the Separatist Droid Armies." Cassell said warily, "So I hear. So, my daughter tells me that you're rather…acquainted with her. Is that true?" The general said, "From a certain view."

This didn't seem to ease Cassell's worries, so he asked, "How do you make time to see Rani if you're often in battle with countless droids charging and firing into who-knows-what?" Grievous looked at him indignantly and asked, "Are you suggesting that we might have a relationship?" Cassell paused and carefully thought of what to say next. He sighed, "I'm only concerned about my daughter's welfare. She can't be pulled into the war, neither as a victim nor a fighter."

Grievous said, "I know what you're thinking, but Rani cares just as much for my wellbeing as you do hers. I won't pull your daughter into the war for two reasons: she wishes to stay neutral, and she's a very rare person. I wouldn't dream of letting anything happen to her." Cassell didn't know whether he was lying or not, so he asked dubiously, "Like you did with her droid?" Grievous put a hand on his mask and groaned, "That is all in the past. Rani said she would get it replaced."

Cassell shook his head, "R3-S6 was a gift from her grandmother. He was one of my mother's closest companions before she gave him to Rani. He wasn't just a machine. He was like family to the Captagues. I can't believe you had the nerve to steal something precious of hers even after you knew what was like with your kind."

Grievous angrily rose from the beds and retorted, "You do not know to whom you speak! For Rani's sake, I shall spare you, but next time we meet, you do well to know better than to speak to me like that. Now, I have a war to return to." He marched straight out of the room and headed downstairs in a huff. He stopped at the doorway to the living room and ordered, "Start your ship, Rani! I must return to my lair."


	10. Painful Reminders

**_I had told Rani that I hated long good-byes, and it was true. Though I was still offended by Mr. Captague's remarks, I soon cooled down when I saw Rani with her parents. I could tell that her family hated me, but what was I supposed to do? I was an avatar of fear and hate throughout the galaxy and planned to remain that way. One's family would only bring him down…including my own. I had to leave them behind after the Republic attack on Kalee and Rani would have to leave hers soon enough._**

 ****"Come! Let's be on our way."

Rani heard Grievous's command and waved to her parents before she entered her transport. She started the _Wanderer_ and waved to her parents one last time as the vehicle ascended into the heavens. Once she was out in space, she entered the coordinates for Grievous's lair. She took one last glance at Millius Prime before entering hyperspace.

She looked in the rearview mirror to see through the window into the trunk. She saw A4-D talking to Grievous, who was hunched over as if disturbed by something. Rani decided to press the intercom button and asked, "Hey, Grievous. Are you okay?" When he didn't respond, she asked, "Things didn't go too well with Dad?"

Grievous growled, "Your father hates me. I shouldn't be surprised, really. I am, after all, the most hated being in the galaxy. One day, you will hate me, too." A4-D differed, "Oh, Master, I don't think she would…" Grievous ordered, "Silence! I did not ask for your opinion."

Rani said, "There's a moral taught on Millius Prime: show kindness and turn not from the light." Grievous scoffed, "You are only _half_ -Diathim. You have your human genes, so you are not entirely pure." Rani stayed silent for a moment until she said, "That…may be true, both physically and metaphorically. The angels are pure goodness, but I myself have a tint of gray and maybe even a little black. Excluding the Diathim, most everyone in the galaxy is born with some gray. It's only a matter of choosing between the light and the dark.

"Some choose to stay in the neutral area, like yours truly. I have a blend of both good and bad, but I just mostly stay good. I'm only using my dark aspects to put up a fight. So, you see, I'm not a perfectly good angel. Even I have my flaws."

Grievous said to her, "It's easy for you to say. Your flaws are not nearly as derisory as mine. I have told you about my lungs and my metallic parts need replacing every so often." Rani remarked, "Well, maybe you're lucky to even have limbs replaced if they get damaged." He said, "But what about you? Surely, you cannot regrow your wings should anything happen to them. They're a precious gift from your Diathim side.

"You cannot recreate such beauty if they get cut off. You may never be able to fly without your transport ever again. How can you be one half of something if an important part of you…is gone?" By saying that, Grievous basically reminded himself of what he had lost, through choice or circumstance. A4-D chirped in, "I'd say you're 80% machine and 20% alien." Grievous glared at the doctor droid and growled, "Who asked you?" A4-D apologized, "Forgive me, I thought you were referring to yourself."

"I was!"

The cyborg slumped back down to the floor in defeat. Rani felt pity for him, so she decided to sing to cheer him up. After a moment or two of consideration, she began to sing, _"I used to think that I could not go o-o-on…and life was nothing but an awful so-o-ong…But now I know the meaning of true lo-o-o-ove…_ _I'm leaning on the everlasting a-a-a-arms…If I can see it, then I can do it…If I just believe it, there's nothing to it…_

 _"_ _I believe I can fly…I believe I can touch the sky…I think about it every night and day…Spread my wings and fly away…I believe I can soar…I see me running through that open do-o-or…I believe I can fly…I believe I can fly…I believe I can fly…_

 _"_ _See, I was on the verge of breaking down…Sometimes silence can seem so loud…There are miracles in life I must achieve…But first I know it starts inside of me, oh…If I can see it, then I can be it…If I just believe it, there's nothing to it…_

 _"_ _I believe I can fly…I believe I can touch the sky…I think about it every night and day…Spread my wings and fly away…I believe I can soar…I see me running through that open door…I believe I can fly…I believe I can fly…I believe I can fly…_

 _"_ _Hey, 'cause I believe in me, oh…If I can see it, then I can do it…If I just believe it, there's nothing to it…_

 _"_ _I believe I can fly…I believe I can touch the sky…I think about it every night and day…Spread my wings and fly away…I believe I can soar…I see me running through that open door…I believe I can fly…I believe I can fly…I believe I can fly…_

 _"_ _Hey, if I just spread my wings…I can fly…I can fly...I can fly, hey…If I just spread my wings…I can fly-eye-eye-eye…Hum, fly, fly, fly…"_

Grievous took great comfort in her singing. He thought it was a calming sound. Still, he felt a twinge in his heart. He was worried that he was falling for this girl. If he did, it might happen all over again…

Rani eventually landed near the entrance of Grievous's lair. The general ordered the doctor, "Go and make certain that my castle is virus-free." When the two were outside the transport, Grievous said, "I…want to thank you for lifting my spirits back in hyperspace." Rani smiled, "No problem." Grievous said more awkwardly, "And…I…apologize for my abrupt behavior with your father. I did not know he cared very much about your R3 unit."

She explained, "My dad was very close to R3 growing up. The droid had been in the family for a long time." Grievous winced, "No wonder your father got so upset." Then, he got an idea. He thought that since Rani had done so much for him, he should return the favor. And he knew how.

 **Author's Note: I do not own the song "I Believe I Can Fly". I apologize to the original owners for using this song.**


	11. Surprises Left and Right

**_I couldn't deny it: I was developing feelings for the girl. If I wasn't, I wouldn't have secretly sent a squad of search droids to the moon of Ruusan. I used the war to keep myself preoccupied while I waited for news from the search party. Finally, after a week or two…_**

A droid at a computer station informed Grievous, "Sir! We have news from the search party. They've located the R3 unit." Grievous felt relief at the news, so he ordered, "Have it sent to one of our top-secret facilities. I want that droid repaired and restored to its original condition before we reprogrammed it." The droid nodded, "Roger, roger."

Grievous eventually visited the facility to check if progress was made. He was pleased to learn that the droid he had been looking for was all repaired. He stepped into the operating room and saw R3-S6 strapped onto a reclining table. Before, Grievous didn't care if he ever saw this droid again, but after learning how long it had been with the Captagues, he wanted to find and repair it for two reasons: to repay the favor to Rani, and to copy any information it had on her and her family.

Since R3 was shut off at the moment, Grievous asked A4-D, who supervised the repair, "Did you copy whatever was in the databanks?" The doctor droid nodded, "Yes, Master. We were able to restore his original programming." Grievous said, "Excellent. Activate it to make sure it's in working condition."

A4-D did as he was told and pressed a button on R3. Sure enough, the astromech made whirring noises as he "woke up". He looked all around and was shocked to find that he was in a strange place…and with Grievous, no doubt. He uttered angry noises before spraying oil and a yellow substance – which must've seeped into his body on the moon of Ruusan – onto a nearby repair droid. Grievous chuckled at the sight of the repair droid uttering sounds of disgust. He turned to the astromech and remarked, "Well, you're certainly as feisty now as you were then." R3 only muttered a sound similar to a growl.

R3-S6 was being less cooperative than Grievous wanted him to be. Droids had to hold the astromech down, but he wouldn't let them deactivate him. Grievous emerged outside and asked A4-D, "I assume there's trouble with the R3 unit?" The doctor droid sighed, "He won't let anyone turn him off and haul him into the crate." Grievous said, "I'll take care of this."

He came up to the astromech and ignited his lightsaber. He held it up to R3's dome and threatened, "This is your only warning. Cooperate or I shall be forced to take extreme measures." R3 stood silent with fear. That gave the droids time enough to deactivate the astromech. Grievous deactivated his lightsaber and he said to the now-inactive R3, "Good droid." When R3 was in the crate attached to the _Soulless One_ , the general jumped into his starfighter and took off.

In hyperspace, he contacted Rani. Her hologram said, "Hi, Grievous. I didn't expect to hear from you."

"I think anyone would be surprised if I contacted them. Anyway, I thought that since you've done so much for me, I would like to return the favor."

Rani tried to hide her unease, "Really? Well, that's…unexpected."

Grievous mentally face-palmed as he thought, _Wrong choice of words._ He said, "I don't think we should meet on Jharona, though. It's too risky for me to be seen. Where else could we go?"

Rani thought for a moment before she said, "There's a moon near Kipla in the Outer Rim. Do you want to meet there?"

"I think that sounds convenient. I can make do with that."

"I'll be there, then."

"I hope so."

When the transmission ended, Grievous was worried that he accidentally scared Rani off.

 ** _Rani had chosen well. The moon orbiting Kipla had a tropical climate, which reminded me of my homeworld. I felt at peace among the jungle environment of the moon. It's almost like she knew what Kalee was like first-hand. I wonder…_**

Grievous landed his ship at a clearing and took in all of the majestic beauty the jungle had to offer. Indeed, it reminded him of the perilous and dense jungles he traversed in his youth. He daydreamed of his glorious past while he waited for Rani to show up. If she would.

Just then, he heard the familiar sound of a small cargo transport he rode in a couple of times. His heart jumped when he saw the _Wanderer_ landing next to the _Soulless One_. Within moments, Rani climbed out of her vehicle and walked towards Grievous. She asked, "So, you wanted to show me something?" Grievous nodded, "I do, but you have to turn around first and don't peek until I tell you to. You also must not tell anyone of this. It'll be just our little secret."

Though Rani was afraid of what he might do, she complied. Grievous opened the crate and hauled out the R3 unit. He then said, "You can look now." Rani turned around and her eyes widened with surprise. A delighted smile spread across her face and she exclaimed, "R3! Is it really him?" The cyborg suggested, "Why don't you activate him to make sure?"

Rani did just that. R3-S6 "woke up" again and he beeped in delight when he saw his master. She cried, "R3, it _is_ you!" She embraced her droid before she said, "Thanks, Grievous! This is a wonderful surprise." R3 turned towards Grievous and rammed into him in defiance.

Rani admonished, "R3! He just returned you to me! Is that any way to show gratitude?" Grievous held up his hand as he said, "After all I had done to him before he got destroyed, I think I probably deserved it."

 ** _I probably could've taken it out on R3 right then and there, but then all of my effort to return him to Rani would have been in vain. Besides, did I really want to lose the only girl in the universe alone to be kind towards me?_**

A week later, Grievous went back to his lair to be repaired again. This time, it was his mask that was damaged. He told A4-D that he wanted to look at himself before a new faceplate would be fastened.

 ** _For the first time in so long, I dared to look at myself without a mask. Sure enough, the remains of my head were just as I remembered. Then, a terrible thought crossed my mind. What would Rani think of me if she saw me like…? No. I erased such a possibility as soon as I thought of it. I had to remember that I was as ugly as my reputation was._**

 ** _How could I possibly compare to Rani's beauty? She may have been only half-Diathim, but her altruistic heart stood out more than her bloodline. She even had strength to match. Yet, why did I even bother with her? She was, after all, insignificant compared to the war._**

As he was recovering from the procedure, A4-D said, "Master, Count Dooku is contacting you." Grievous pressed a button and an image of Count Dooku appeared. The hologram said, "General, there is a Separatist traitor on the run. I have received word that he is attending a festival undercover. I need you to find him and bring him to justice. If he's not willing to comply, then kill him as you wish." Grievous bowed his head, "Yes, my lord."

 ** _To be honest, I was a little nervous about attending the event. I wasn't usually a social being, but I reminded myself that I was on a mission. On orders from Count Dooku, I had to find the defector and capture him, if not kill him. Little did I suspect that this night would prove to be one of the most poignant of my life._**

The _Soulless One_ dropped out of hyperspace and descended over Cliope, a neutral world. Known for the inhabitants' love of arts, the planet was perfect for holding a festival open to all. Beings from all across the galaxy and any faction – Republic, Separatist, or neutral – attended and participated in the festival celebrating music, art, and theater. So far, no one had protested to having both sides of the war mingling on this planet. Nevertheless, the festival ran for three days, one for each faction. Count Dooku suggested coming on the last day, the one reserved for neutral worlds. Grievous figured that since the person he was looking for was a traitor, he wouldn't side with either faction at the festival.

Collective gasps could be heard as Grievous jumped out of his starfighter. He was wearing his best cloak since A4-D fussed so much about the general making a good impression. Grievous knew that it'd be futile since he was involved in the war. He wasn't well-liked because of it. There was also his appearance to think about. Would anyone ever guess that someone like him would attend a festival celebrating such frivolity?

Grievous chose to ignore the random chatter and gossip behind his back. He had no time to take his anger out on meaningless people. He had to concentrate on finding the traitor and bringing him out into the open. Grievous had gotten enough information from Dooku to find the deserter. The count had told him that the fugitive was going to be a crewperson working backstage. This person would also be working at Stage 15B and had planned to make his getaway when the last act had performed. Not if Grievous had anything to say about it.

When the general went up to the booth, he held out his VIP card and said, "I request a private box, please." The vendor shakily took the card and scanned it into the machine. He stammered as he gave back the card, "H-Here you g-g-go. Enjoy the sh-sh-show." Grievous knew he had frightened the poor vendor, but he didn't waste another thought on it. He went up to the private box and took his seat.

A service droid came up to the cyborg and asked, "Would you like for me to take your cloak, sir?" Grievous shook his hand, "No, thank you. I prefer to keep it on." The lights dimmed as soon as the droid left and the curtains parted to reveal an announcer. Grievous scanned the front stage and the stage lights first before pulling out his electro-binoculars to see beyond the set. The electro-binoculars allowed him to see life forms backstage. When he found the man he was looking for, he whispered, "Enjoy these moments of freedom while you can, because they will be your last."

Grievous sat in his seat patiently waiting until all of the acts had performed. He mentally cursed that he had to just sit here while an entire war raged on without him. He hated this. He hated just standing by and feeling unable to do anything. He was a cyborg of action, not of stealth.

After another act had finished, the announcer came onstage again and said, "Our next act is from Jharona." The mention of the planet caught Grievous's attention and he thought, _That's where Rani lives! I wonder…_ The announcer continued, "She comes from a wealthy family of merchants and she would like to share this song with you." Grievous thought in amazement, _Can it really be?_

"Ladies and gentlemen, please give a warm hand to Ms. Rani Captague, who will be singing 'I See You'."

Time slowed for Grievous as Rani walked into the spotlight. She was dazzling in her sparkling, dark blue gown and her teardrop-shaped necklace. He was astounded by her sheer beauty, which was complimented by her…Diathim wings?! This alarmed Grievous until he figured that she wouldn't expose her wings like that unless people thought they were accessories. Still, he was concerned that Rani chose to keep her wings out in the open.

Music began to play and Rani began to sing, _"I see you…I see you…Walking through a dream…I see you…My light in darkness breathing hope of new life…Now I live through you and you through me…Enchanting…I pray in my heart that this dream never ends…_

 _"_ _I see me through your eyes…Breathing through life, flying high…Your love shines the way into paradise…So I offer my life as a sacrifice…I live through your love…_

 _"_ _You teach me how to see all that's beautiful…My senses touch a world I never pictured…Now I give my hope to you…I surrender…I pray in my heart that this world never ends…_

 _"_ _I see me through your eyes…Breathing through life, flying high…Your love shines the way into paradise…So I offer my life…I offer my love, for you…_

 _"_ _When my heart was never open…and my spirit never free…To the world that you have shown me…But my eyes could not envision all the colors of love and of life ever more…Evermor-or-or-or-or-or-or-ore…_

 _"_ _I see me through your eyes…Flying high…Your love shines the way into paradise…So I offer my life as a sacrifice…And live through your love…And live through your life…I see you…I see you…"_

 ** _That was it. That was the moment that changed everything…for the both of us. Somehow, I knew that song was meant for me and only me. What happened during her number was so sudden. Memories flashed before my eyes, from the time Rani brought me to her house to when I returned R3 to her on the moon of Kipla. Suddenly, an overwhelming feeling surged through me that was strong and unfamiliar._**

 ** _It took me only a few moments before I realized that I was beginning to love again. I could hardly believe it: I was falling in love with the girl! I tried to deny it, but I knew I couldn't. I never knew desire like this since…The painful memory from so long ago brought back a deep sadness. As I fought to control my emotions, I pressed a button to close the shutters of the private box._**

Rani had sensed something when she finished her song. She left the stage and made her way to Grievous's private box. She didn't want to intrude on the general's privacy, but she felt that he needed her right now. She braced herself as she opened the door.

Grievous's head shot up and he looked behind him with teary eyes. He gasped, "Rani! I didn't expect you to come up here! I didn't think you saw me." As his tears died away, Rani said, "While I was waiting for my act, a stagehand told me that you were here. I saw you in the private box and decided to look at you while I was singing."

The general said, "That was a beautiful song, truly. You made a wonderful choice." Rani said, "I'm glad you like it, though I'm surprised it almost made you cry." She was worried that she offended him and he would lash out at her, but he responded indignantly, "I don't cry over something as trivial as a song. But you, you were so beautiful on stage and the song itself reminded me of our adventures together." Rani answered, "That was mostly why I picked out the song."

Grievous's eyes widened with amazement and he said, "I never actually thought that you cared for me like that. Is that how you truly feel?" Before Rani could respond, the voice of the announcer rang out, "And now we move on to our final act for the night!" Grievous's expression steeled as he remembered his mission: capture the Separatist traitor. He stood and said, "I must go, Rani. I have important business to attend to."

Rani's heart fell when she knew why Grievous was at the festival. She had hoped he had come to see her perform. She knew it was odd, but now she found that Grievous had been sent here on assignment. She asked, "Does it have to do something with the war?" Grievous held up his hand as he answered, "That is none of your concern." He took out the lightsabers from the pocket of his cloak and then gave the cloak to Rani. "Stay here until I return," he said as he left.

Rani didn't know how to explain it, but she had the strong feeling that she should follow him.

 **Author's Note: I do not own the song** **"I See You"** **. Be prepared, readers, because the next surprise in this story is going to be a shocker!**


	12. Trusting Each Other

Grievous carefully made his way to a door that read in Aurebesh 'BACKSTAGE'. He disregarded the sign and entered the large room. He looked all around for any sign of the Separatist traitor, Lao Tapus. He saw various Rodians, Niktos, Twileks, and Ithorians, but no trace of the man he was looking for. Grievous mentally cursed, thinking he might've missed Lao. Suddenly, his golden eyes caught a glimpse of a person with reddish hair. Yes, it was Lao!

 ** _It's simple: just confront the traitor, arrest him, and take him to Dooku. Little did I know-_**

 **** _WHUMP!_

When Grievous regained his senses, he saw that Lao was working with a Volpai. He slammed his fist on the floor when the two escaped.

 ** _An accomplice! I should've known that Tapus would have some help! Let's even the score now, shall we?_**

 ****Grievous split his arms in half and raced through the door the two fugitives just went through. He ran down hallway after labyrinthine hallway until he no longer saw any sign of either Lao or his Volpai friend. In desperation, he walked down the nearest hallway until he found himself in an open area. He grasped his lightsabers to be ready when…

 _WHOOSH!_

The general felt his right arms getting pulled and looked to see a cable with a magnetic hook being looped on his halved wrist. The same thing happened on his other arms and before he knew it, he was hoisted up in the air until he was three feet above the ground. He looked down to see Lao and his accomplice chuckling at the sight of the general dangling in mid-air.

Lao smirked, "Well, well, well. I think capturing a Separatist general will look good on my resume."

The Volpai shook his head, "Oh, no, no, no. I think killing him would be even better."

The man looked at his friend in shock and exclaimed, "Are you serious?! Count Dooku would be on my tail if he knew I killed his best general!"

The accomplice said, "Well, then, let me do the honors. You can escape the Separatists without any blood on your hands and I'll have one heck of a bounty for killing the great General Grievous."

Grievous's eyes narrowed as he growled, "You're a fool to think that you can get away with this."

The Volpai got out his gun and shrugged, "I'm just doing all of us a favor. I'll get the money, Lao gets his ticket to freedom, and you'll be put out of your misery." He pointed the gun at Grievous. "Any last words, general?"

Grievous closed his eyes and hung his head as he anticipated his inevitable demise. Just then, he heard footsteps racing up the hallway he had come from. His head shot up as soon as he heard Lao cry, "What-"

Before Lao could finish his sentence, the Volpai was thrown across the room by an unseen force. Grievous knew that technique all too well. After having witnessed it more than once, he saw that it was a Force push. He thought that Count Dooku or Asajj Ventress – who he had so very much despised - had come to rescue him, but he was absolutely stunned when he saw…

 ** _Rani?! It was Rani?! I was so shocked that I thought there might've been a Jedi or at least a Force-sensitive beside her. However, I could not deny the truth after what happened next._**

 ****After Rani had knocked out Lao with a long staff, she turned to Grievous and said uneasily, "I suppose you know by now." Grievous was in stunned silence until he blurted, "It was you?! It was only you?!" Rani nodded, "Yes." She stretched her right arm and used the Force to summon one of Grievous's lightsabers.

Grievous scowled, "Go ahead. Finish the job. It's what they would've wanted." Just then, the Volpai got to his feet and charged at Rani. She turned and used the Force to slam the alien hard against the wall. She faced Grievous again and said, "Is _that_ what they would've wanted?"

Rani flew up to the cables that held Grievous and asked him, "How do you turn on a lightsaber?" Grievous scoffed, "Do I need to tell you this? You never told me you were Force-sensitive. For all I know, you could be a Jedi-in-training." Rani retorted, "I'm not a Jedi. Besides, I don't even know how to operate a lightsaber."

All the time she was talking, she was trying to activate the lightsaber. Just then, she pressed a button and a green blade ignited. Rani smiled, "Ah-ha!" As she was cutting the cables, Grievous sneered, "It seems like you do now." He grunted as he landed on his feet. When Rani landed and deactivated the lightsaber, she reached out to remove the cables from his wrists. Grievous, however, resisted and took off the cables himself.

Rani asked as he was tying the two fugitives with the cables, "So what happened?" Grievous shot off, "Does it matter?" The girl, feeling hurt by how Grievous was talking to her, only replied softly, "I just wanted to know why those men attacked you." The cyborg walked up to her and shouted, "Isn't it obvious?! They wanted me dead! The whole _galaxy_ wants me dead! The only one who doesn't want me dead is you!

"If you wish to leave me alive, then I suggest you get out of my life as soon as possible. You're Force-sensitive, and I have no use for people like you. Understand?"

 ** _I felt like I was about to break down at that moment. The feeling only worsened when I saw Rani leave in despair and on the verge of tears. A mix of emotions brewed inside of me like a storm: guilt, anger, and – most prominently – betrayal. How could I have known that Rani was Force-sensitive? What if she was a Jedi – or one in training – this entire time? I was so conflicted by my strong emotions that I decided to remain focused on the task Count Dooku sent me to do. As soon as I brought Tapus to custody, I would have no more of this…and Rani._**

Grievous sent the captured traitor and his accomplice to the authorities. He growled when he guessed that Rani had left his cloak unattended in the private box. Just as he neared his box, he heard a familiar sound. He leaned towards the door and found that it was Rani singing.

He heard her voice sing, _"Grievous, I am humbled, for tonight I understand…your people's blood was never meant to coat the Jedi's hands. You've suffered great injustice, so have thousands before you. I offer my own sympathy, and one long overdue. I am sorry…Grievous, I am sorry…Hear my song and know I sing the truth…Although you were bred to fight…I reach for kindness in your heart tonight…and if you can forgive, and if you can forgive…love can truly live…And if you can forgive, and if you can forgive…love can truly live…"_

 ** _Curse it! It was happening again! My heart leapt for her tune and my emotions soared. I just had to remember why I wanted to hate her so much. But, as I soon found out…I couldn't..._**

Rani continued to sing, _"Grievous, I am frightened, but I'll use this one moment…to tell you that what I said was everything that I meant…Through countless years of agony that to your heart I send…Your broken heart I'll mend…Your spirit I will tend…I am sorry… Grievous, I am sorry…Hear my song and know I sing the truth…Although you were bred to fight…I reach for kindness in your heart tonight…and if you can forgive, and if you can forgive…love can truly live…And if you can forgive, and if you can forgive…love can truly live…"_

The door then opened and Rani looked behind her in the seat. Grievous took a few steps forward with a lightsaber in his hand. Rani feared what he might do…until he tossed it on the floor.

 ** _One doesn't normally throw one's weapon just like that lest it's an important gesture. In this case, tossing a lightsaber aside meant three things: "I forgive you", "I trust you", and…"I love you"._**

Grievous extended his hand in a gesture of goodwill. Rani, now wingless, rose from the seat and slowly walked towards him. Though reluctantly, she took his hand. He said as he placed his other hand on hers, "I…I am...so sorry for the way I treated you backstage. I shouldn't have lashed out at you like that. I regret that now.

"I was so angry because you were Force-sensitive. I thought that you were a Jedi in secret and that you were going to kill me at my most vulnerable. But…I must ask…are you…really?"

Rani shook her head, "No, I'm not a Jedi. There's more to the Force than the Jedi and the Sith." Grievous then asked, "Then how do you wield the Force if you don't use it to fight?" Rani smiled, "There are others who use the Force more differently than the Jedi and the Sith do. There are the Nightsisters, the Dagoyan Masters…" Grievous finished for her, "…and shamans."

When Rani nodded, the general continued, "There are shamans on my homeworld who use the Force. They practice magic and perform rituals with the aid of the Force." The girl suggested, "Well, if you want to, you could maybe take me to meet them." Grievous turned away from her in shame and answered, "You must understand: I cannot go back to Kalee. Not now. Not when there's a war going on."

Because she had revealed her Force-sensitivity to Grievous, she had to say what she felt – both physically and emotionally. She said, "I think there's something more to this, isn't there?" Grievous scoffed, "How would you know?" Rani answered, "I can sense pain and guilt in you, but I also sense a deep secret you're not willing to divulge yet. And, if I'm not wrong, you're longing for something."

Grievous sighed, "I suppose I do yearn to return home, but I cannot. Not now, not ever." Rani took pity on him and said, "We've been to the moon of Kipla, remember? That's close to being like Kalee, isn't it?" Grievous eyed her suspiciously and asked, "How do you know what my homeworld is like, anyway?" Rani shrugged, "I did my research."

"I suppose that's why you chose it as a meeting place a while ago," Grievous said. She nodded, "Mm-hmm. I don't suppose you'll be too busy with the war to go camping with me some time. My agenda's mostly clear." Grievous was surprised at the invitation. He wanted to accept, but how would he find the time if he had the war to attend to? The last thing he wanted to do was turn her down, so he had to find middle ground somewhere.

"How about this?" he suggested. "We'll have a sort of code for when either of us are available or want to see the other." Rani said, "Okay, I'm cool with that."

 ** _By the time I left Cliope with Tapus in custody, Rani and I had already devised a code consisting of three numbers, each closely resembling a syllable in a three-to-four word phrase. It was a while before we used this code, but by then, I had recently fled Saleucami and was tired from the whole ordeal. Wanting to take advantage of being under the radar, I decided to take up on Rani's offer to go camping with her …providing that_** **she** ** _wasn't busy all of a sudden. When I sent her Code 342 ("Free. Are you?"), she sent back Code 657, which meant "Yes, I am."_**


	13. Spark

**_Soon, arrangements were made and I brought out the essentials I had used from my days on Kalee…and when I was living in exile. Even if I didn't use any equipment from my glory days as often as I did, I had A4-D dust them every so often so that no dust would settle on the relics and irritate my lungs at the slightest disturbance. In truth, I did not think I would camp out in the wilderness again. It all seemed so long ago when I had last slept under the stars with my companion, Gor. Somehow, I feared that camping with Rani now would bring back memories, both good and bad._**

As agreed upon, they rendezvoused at a mountain range with cliffs that resembled tidal waves, a perfect location to hide their campsite. When Grievous landed in the shadow of the arched cliffs, he saw Rani's cargo transport already parked near a cave entrance.

Rani emerged from the cave and said, "I'm glad you made it!"

Grievous said as he was unfastening his crate, "Well, it is very hard to get away from the war, but since I have 'disappeared' at the moment, I thought it would be an opportune time to escape for a while."

He split his arms and grabbed some of the stuff in the crate. He followed Rani inside the cave and marveled at the sight. There were small traces of crystals dotting the walls and some bunches jutting out.

He remarked, "You've certainly picked quite the campsite, Rani. I'm impressed."

Rani smiled, "The need for cover and the need for beauty. Both are satisfied."

After Grievous had laid out his essentials, he asked the girl, "Have you ever camped out in the wilderness before?"

Rani answered, "Well, my family and I used to take nature trips until my sister and I moved out."

"I can only imagine that Millius Prime is beautiful, just like the angels." He quickly added to appease her, "And you're no exception, genetically speaking."

She smiled, "Yes, the Diathim strive to keep their home perfectly natural. Much of it was unharmed when the Separatists invaded, though my parents told me that some of it needed to be renewed again when the angels returned."

"It is unfortunate I did not get the chance to see it when I recovered from my deadly illness. I only saw the village when we left. I don't suppose we could return there some time soon so I can see what Millius Prime has to offer. But then, there are your parents. I don't think they would be pleased to see me again."

"Well, as long as they know you come in peace, I'm sure they'll be all right with it."

"Your father wasn't too thrilled when he met me."

"I think Dad was only worried about me."

He scoffed, "That's what he told me. But I haven't hurt you yet, have I?"

"No. Did he tell you anything else?"

"He also said that you shouldn't be pulled into the war, neither as a fighter or a victim."

"What did he say to anger you, if you don't mind my asking?"

He growled, "He told me that I had the nerve to steal R3 even after what had happened to my people. He could never understand what I went through and neither will you."

"You're right. I'll never know what it was like for you. Forgive me for asking a touchy subject, but what about your parents?"

Grievous stood in silence for a moment or two. He was genuinely surprised that she even asked that. He felt uncomfortable speaking about his parents, so he asked, "Why does this concern you?"

She shrugged, "I was only curious. You don't have to say anything if you don't want to."

"I appreciate that."

"Anyway, it's almost sunset. The cliffs offer a great view of it. There's a cave system that takes you to the top. You can come with me if you want."

"Are you sure you're not trying to lead me to my death?"

She sighed, "Look, if you fall, I will catch you."

"Heh. My metal limbs are very heavy. I doubt you'll be able to pull me up without falling yourself."

"That's why I have the Force."

"I thank you for the offer, but I might as well stay here."

"Okay. Whatever suits you."

Grievous looked at Rani before she disappeared into the tunnel.

 ** _Perhaps that gesture I made on Cliope was a bit hasty. I still found it difficult to trust her, but would I be here if she wasn't trustworthy?_**

With a grunt, Grievous rose from the stone he sat on.

Rani was on a formation 15 feet above the ground when she saw a blue light emanating from the tunnel. Grievous emerged with a blue lightsaber and said, "All right. I'm coming with you. But no tricks, you hear?"

Rani nodded as he climbed up the slope of the formation with the waterfall. Once he joined her, she led the way amongst stalactites and stalagmites. The couple walked along a ledge and saw a bird's eye view of the wonders on the cave floor.

Grievous pointed up towards an opening some distance away. He asked, "Is that where we're going?"

Rani answered before they continued on, "Yep." When they reached the rock slope underneath the high opening, she asked, "Does using my wings count as a trick?"

Grievous answered, "Unless you were planning to blow dust on me, I suppose it doesn't."

She spread her wings while he split his arms in half. She flew slowly up as Grievous climbed the slope. When he suddenly lost his grip, Rani grabbed one of his left hands and used all of her strength to haul him back up. This made Grievous sorry that he ever doubted her.

Soon, they reached the opening to the cliffs and Rani absorbed her wings again. Grievous followed her to the edge of the cliff and almost instantly, his eyes widened at the view of the sunset. He had seen many sunsets, but this was one of the most beautiful he'd ever seen. He put both hands on Rani's right shoulder and praised, "You certainly know how to pick a view, Rani. I'm impressed."

She smiled, "Thank you."

They watched until the sun went down and the jungle became lit with fluorescent plants and wildlife. The moment the sun disappeared from view, Grievous kneeled with his rejoined right arm on his right leg and his left fist over his heart.

Rani was surprised and she asked, "What are you doing?"

"This is a custom on my planet. Every time we go to battle, we do this when the sun sets as a way to honor those who have fallen during the fight. I did this every day during my exile."

"That's certainly a meaningful gesture. I don't suppose you'll share more about your customs with me."

"Well, I will only share a few, but you have to share yours in return."

"Deal."

After they returned to the campsite, both of them told the other about the customs they had on their homeworlds.

Grievous told her, "The night before a battle, comrades-in-arms would gather by the fire and sing chants to give them strength and boost their resolve. Perhaps I could show you while enhancing myself for the next battle when I return to the war." He began chanting, " _Then I had religion, then I had a vision. I could not turn from their revel in derision._ " He started clapping rhythmically as he continued, " _Then I saw the Bakha, creeping through the black, cutting through the jungle with a golden track. Then I saw the Bakha, creeping through the black, cutting through the jungle with a golden track._ " He then told Rani, "This is when the others join in and dance around the fire."

He started beating a drum as he and Rani started rotating around the campfire and repeated the same chant over and over. Though Grievous mostly just walked, Rani reveled in dancing. Grievous admired this about her, knowing that she took much pleasure in this ritual, especially the chant itself. She was so excited, however, that she tripped and began to fall over the fire. Luckily, Grievous saw this and caught her before the flames could touch her.

He chuckled, "Looks like I'm not the only one who needs saving at times."

She smiled as he pushed her back upright, "Thanks." Grievous went to retrieve the drum and Rani exclaimed when she saw the scratches on it, "Your drum! I'm so sorry!"

He shrugged, "I care about very few possessions as much as I do those who mean much to me. This is only one of many items I have from my life on Kalee, but it does not compare to the people I cherished long ago."

"Let's think of it this way: your drum has sustained another battle scar."

He chuckled at her witty remark, "Yes, I suppose it has."

The night was getting late and Rani and Grievous were about to turn in. Grievous laid out only a mat since he was now too tall to sleep in a tent.

Rani asked as she put up a screen to protect them against bugs and creatures, "Are you sure you're going to be all right sleeping on the floor like this?"

Grievous answered, "I'm hardy, Rani. I can handle most anything that comes my way."

She shrugged, "Well, if you're sure…"

"Yes, I'm sure. I don't need you worrying about me. I'll be perfectly fine."

Rani said nothing and climbed into her tent.

Hours later, though, Grievous began tossing and turning from a nightmare. He woke with a startle and panted as he looked around the cave. He rose from his mat and peeked into Rani's tent.

 ** _She looked so peaceful, the sweet thing. I could've spent hours just gazing at her until dawn. Then I reminded myself that I had to attend to the war. I could not afford to lose sleep over this young girl. Since I didn't want to wake her, I decided to sing myself to sleep. It, of course, was a big mistake._**

Grievous tried to sing, but kept coughing and clearing his throat. The sounds woke Rani and she peeked out of her tent. She asked, "What's wrong? Is everything okay?"

He retorted, "No, it's not! *Cough cough* I tried singing myself to sleep, but I can't!"

"Do you want me to sing for you?"

He grunted as he lied back on his mat, "Yes."

Within a few moments, she began singing, _"Stay awake…Don't rest your head…Don't lie down upon your bed…while the moon drifts in the skies…Stay awake…Don't close your eyes…Though the world is fast asleep…though your pillow's soft and deep…you're not sleepy as you seem…Stay awake…Don't nod and dream…Stay awake…Don't nod and dream…"_

Grievous blinked his weary eyes and said, "You are a much better singer than I am now. I used to sing fairly well before my cybernetic enhancements. Could you give me some tips in the morning?"

Rani smiled, "Sure. Good night."

Before she could retreat into her tent, he said, "Wait." She turned around and he continued, "Thank you for doing this for me. I'm sorry I had trouble trusting you. Will you please forgive me?"

Rani's heart swelled with sincerity for the good general. She replied, "Yes, I do." Without knowing it, she put her hand on his…and felt a spark. Both were surprised at this, so Rani cried, "Oh! Sorry."

"You needn't apologize. That was a strange sensation."

"I know. I felt it, too. Well, good night."

"Good night."

 ** _How was this possible? Usually, I felt nothing in my hands to avoid any pain should they be cut off. But this…this was different. Was it the Force creating feeling in my hands? Or was it something more?_**

Soon came the dawn and after breakfast, the two of them were outside the cave entrance.

Rani said, "Okay, remember how you chanted last night? Singing's like that, only more melodic and rhythmic. Start with a chant and then build from there. Raise your tone, but make sure you don't strain."

Grievous said indignantly, "I remember how to sing, but I can't in this body!"

"Okay, okay. Maybe you can start with low-key melodies and then work your way up."

Just then, the transceiver in the _Soulless One_ started beeping.

Grievous rose and said, "Excuse me. I have to take this." After a few minutes, he came back and said, "A4-D said that Count Dooku has contacted my lair a few times. I have to return so my master doesn't suspect anything."

Rani nodded, "I understand."

After several minutes, Grievous had his essentials all packed up in the crate. He wanted to see if he could feel the sensation again, so he took Rani's hand and said, "I appreciate the time we spent here. Hopefully, we'll find time to do this again." Luckily, he could feel the tingle created when their hands were joined. They touched each other before, but nothing like this had happened until recently.

Rani could feel it, too. She could not hide the smile that spread across her face or the small tint of red on her cheeks. She said, "I really liked this trip, too. I'm sure we'll find other ways to see each other. After all, I think the Force brought us together for a reason."

Grievous could not deny that she was right. When he thought back to all of the times they met again and again, he knew that they were no mere coincidences. The Force had something to do with this. But what?


	14. Finding a Connection

Rani returned home that afternoon and pulled back the rug in her living room. She then opened the trapdoor and climbed down the ladder into her private workroom. It was a well-hidden room reserved for her experimentations with various herbs and spells and practice with using the Force. Though she did not know much about the Force, what knowledge she did have came from the legends the Diathim told her or various written sources about it. She did, however, manage to achieve a great deal of mastery over it. She could produce magics and receive premonitions from the Force.

Rani firmly believed that every Force-sensitive could master the various techniques used by other Force-users. She managed to replicate every brew and potion and produce the same spells that other Force-sensitive groups had created. She mostly used the Force for research and creation. But she now had a nagging question: what did the Force have to do with her and Grievous? It was because of the Force that she rescued him in the first place.

The night before they met, Rani had a dream about a fiery mass falling into the sea. She didn't know why, but she felt compelled to check it out. The next day, she kept a lookout for what she guessed was a meteorite. When it fell to Jharona, Rani quickly hopped into her airspeeder and sped all the way to the sea. What she found surprised her. When she hovered over the shore, she saw that it was not a meteorite – as she had initially suspected – but an escape pod…and a strange figure waving for help!

She knew that her dream was a premonition, but until now, she didn't think anything of the Force bringing her and Grievous together. They couldn't be together. He was a general who cared more about fighting than peace and she was just a simple girl trying to make her mark on a war-torn galaxy…all the while keeping her biggest secrets under wraps. Yet, why did the Force orchestrate events so they could keep seeing each other? The tingly feeling she had when she touched his hand was proof that something was going on and she intended to find out.

Rani tried to meditate various times in various ways, but she had not yet mastered that art. Her premonitions only came to her via dreams and that was it. She was inexperienced in most areas of using the Force, but she did manage to create magics. Still, she felt as if it wasn't enough, so she consulted every source on the Force until she found a useful lead: the Dagoyan Masters.

The next day, Rani took the _Wanderer_ and headed for Bardotta. She brought many artworks and crafts as a gesture of peace towards the Bardottans. When she arrived at the planet, she saw that there were so many rock formations. She reached out into the Force to find the one where the Bahk-tov Council and the Queen herself were residing. She trusted it and let it lead her to one of many identical formations.

She set her transport on the landing platform and climbed out. A few moments after she walked out, the guards rushed out to meet her. They angled their spears toward her and one of the guards demanded, "What is your business here?"

Rani answered, "I request an audience with Her Majesty, Queen Julia."

Another guard asked, "What reason do you have to see Her Highness?"

Again, she answered, "I want to learn the ways of the Force."

The first guard spoke, "And what proof do you have?"

"This." She turned her back towards the guards and said, "Feel my back." Some of them did so, though hesitantly. She continued, "Nothing there but my undergarment. Now watch." Just seconds after she said that, her wings popped out!

The guards gasped in amazement as they exclaimed:

"An angel!"

"She's come in disguise!"

"How is this possible?"

One of them said, "Who – or what – are you?"

Rani said, "I am Rani Captague of Jharona. I am half-human, half-Diathim. I am Force-sensitive, so that is why I have come here: to learn from the Dagoyan Masters. I have come bearing gifts as a sign of peace and goodwill. I only hope that the Queen will receive me."

The guards discussed amongst themselves before turning back to Rani. One of them said, "We will grant you the audience you require. Come with us."

Rani followed the group through the halls before they stopped at the double doors. The guards again discussed with the two standing guard besides the doors. With obligating nods, the two guards stepped back and let the group enter the chamber. The sound of the gong surprised Rani. She then felt something vibrate on her back and looked to see her wings shimmering to the vibrations. She then gazed up towards Queen Julia, who was sitting quietly on her throne. The gong then sounded again – causing her wings to react once more – and the guards ushered her to a circle before they slammed their spears on the floor.

The Queen then asked, "I see you are an unusual girl. What is your name and for what purpose have you come?"

Rani bowed before she answered, "I am Rani Captague of Jharona. I am half-human, half-Diathim. My wings are proof of that. I wish to learn your ways of the Force since I am sensitive to it. I only know how to create magics and replicate the rituals of other Force groups."

"Then show us. Prove you are as you say you are."

Rani closed her eyes and concentrated. Just then, an orb of blue light began to grow between her hands. When she stopped enlarging the light, she quickly clasped her hands on it and separated them to spread tiny stars across the chamber. The Bardottans gasped in amazement before the stars disappeared from view. The Dagoyan Masters chattered in excitement before Queen Julia silenced them.

She nodded her head and said to Rani, "I see that you have great potential, young Captague. I can also sense that the Force is strong with you. Since you have proven that you are indeed Force-sensitive, we will help you enhance your skills so that you may become more at one with the Force. I will be the first to welcome you our humble home, Rani Captague."

The gong sounded and again Rani's wings shimmered and shook to the vibrations.

For days, Rani trained with the Dagoyan Masters to better utilize the Force. Though she knew what the basics were, there were some techniques she never learned before. Soon, she began feeling the flow of the Force course through her body. It was a warm and inviting sensation, much like the tingle she felt when she and Grievous touched hands during their camping trip. She wanted to know what it was, but couldn't quite figure it out yet. However, with the help of the training from the Masters, she felt like she was closer to getting her answer.

One day, Rani was in her guest chamber when there was a knock at the door.

"Come in."

The door opened to reveal a guard and he said, "The Queen requests your presence, Ms. Captague."

Rani then followed him through the halls until they got to another set of double doors. She was confused since she thought she was going to the grand chamber. The guard then ushered for the two guards at the doors to open them. Rani was surprised to see the Queen standing there in her meditation room.

The girl bowed as she entered, "You wanted to see me, Your Majesty?"

Queen Julia nodded, "Yes, I did. I trust your training is going well?"

"Oh, it's helped me immensely, Your Highness. But I still have a question that I need answering. It's why I came here in the first place. Well, that and to strengthen my connection with the Force."

"You are already connected in the ways of the Force. What is this question you need to answer?"

"Well, I've met someone some time ago and we've been only acquaintances up until we took a camping trip recently. That night and the day after, we both felt a strange tingly sensation when we touched hands. I tried meditating into the Force to learn what it was, but I haven't been able to until now."

The Queen smiled, "You do not need to look into the Force for the cause of the sensation. I have known it myself. It comes when you begin to care for someone very deeply. Since you and your friend have both felt it, I think that he cares for you as well."

Rani couldn't help but smile at the prospect. Still, she had to wonder if Grievous truly felt the same way she did for him.

Queen Julia continued, "However, if you wish to settle your mind, then meditate with me. I will help you see what the Force wants you to see."

Rani took great comfort in her words and began following the Queen's instructions. Minutes later, she felt entirely one with the Force. She could feel every tendril of energy flow through her, every pulse of the Force pump in her veins.

The Queen then instructed her, "Now focus on the sensation you felt with your friend. Think back to the moment you felt it. What did you feel? What do you wish to know?"

Rani concentrated on the memory of the tingle until she actually felt it. She then asked herself and the Force, _What did I feel when I touched Grievous's hand?_ Suddenly, a vision flashed before her eyes. What she saw stunned her to the point of no words. Rani's hands were held in Grievous's and their foreheads were touching in a loving way.

Rani was so surprised that she didn't know she fell to the floor until she saw Queen Julia leaning over her.

Queen Julia asked, "Did you find your answer?"

The girl sat up and said, "Well, yeah. I think I did. I don't know. All I saw was my friend and I in a loving embrace."

Julia smiled as she helped her up, "What did I tell you? It is care that will eventually blossom into something much more."

"Much more? I never intended for my friendship with him to go further than what it is already. He's…not the type to usually think of others before his own wants. What can there possibly be between us?"

"I will let you in on a secret before you leave…"


	15. Predestined

Rani was given a rare crystal called a heartstone. She had been told that it would lead her to her heart's desire or the answer to a burning question. She dipped it in a special oil and then clutched it close to her heart while saying, "Glow the brightest when I see the one being I'm destined to be with." The crystal radiated in response for a few seconds before its glow disappeared. Rani hoped that it would give her the answer she needed.

She thanked the Queen and the Dagoyan Masters and went on her way. When she returned home, she decided to test out the crystal. Though she was very much afraid to, she went on her computer and pulled up an image of General Grievous. To her surprise, the crystal didn't glow. This relived yet disappointed Rani a bit.

However, as soon as she pulled down the image, the crystal began to glow. Rani was confused until she touched it. Suddenly, a vision ran through her head of an escape pod crashing onto a plain. Rani knew then that her true love would be in there. She reached into the Force to see just on what planet the pod crashed. As soon as she got her answer, she dashed into her transport with crystal in hand and sped towards Utapau.

When she arrived, she found that a massive battle had happened. Debris from ships of either side floated in space. It was then Rani had her suspicions about who the one in the escape pod was. She scanned the plains and saw various escape pods dotted on the ground. She knew then that she had to use the heartstone to track down her true love. She took out the crystal and kept waving it until she angled it towards one particular pod. It glowed brighter than her eyes could've taken, so she put the crystal back in her pouch and landed the _Wanderer_ near the crash site. After she put on safety clothes and grabbed a blowtorch, she rushed towards the damaged pod and used the torch to cut through the viewport of the pod. When the viewport became mostly open, she tore it away from the pod and took off her mask.

Who she saw inside shocked her. It was none other than Grievous himself, though unconscious. She took out her crystal, which glowed its brightest, and thought, _No way! It's him?! But…_

Then she concluded that the crystal needed life energy to confirm the identity of her true love. Still, she could hardly believe it. It was him all along? How was this possible? Even if Rani came to love him, he could never do the same with her. However, if the crystal – and more importantly, the Force – led her back to Grievous, it meant that they were fated to be with each other. She just had to believe it. She wasn't so sure Grievous would, though.

Rani may have had one question answered, but so many more popped up in its place. Why was she meant to love him? Would he love her in return? But the most prominent of them was this: if Grievous did come to love her, would he love the human and not just the angel? Rani knew that she would have to make the best of the situation, despite the outcome.

She knew she couldn't carry Grievous out by herself, so she used the Force to drag him onto the plains. Though it took much of her energy, she managed to pull him outside the pod. She pitied seeing so many char marks on his armor. She could only imagine what he must go through on a day-to-day basis. However, if the war meant so much to him, then he would go through even heck and high water to fight. Maybe if he saw the more beautiful things in life, he might give up the war. Rani thought it was a great plan, but one she would have to carefully execute.

She brought the smelling salts from the transport in hopes that Grievous could easily be awakened. To her luck, he was. He coughed as he came to and slowly opened his eyes to see Rani.

"I don't believe it," he muttered. "I must be seeing things."

Rani shook her head, "You're not imagining this. I'm really here."

"But how are you even here?"

"I had a Force vision. I've been practicing."

His eyes then narrowed as he growled, "Why must you follow me like a lost dog? I thought you weren't getting involved in the war."

"I may not be switching sides, but I am your friend. Friends always help each other."

He scoffed, "If you were truly my friend, you would've joined the Separatists long ago. I cannot be rescued every time I get into a scrape. Why don't you go back to Jharona where you belong?" He tried to get up, but he gave a yell when his left leg toppled over.

Rani said, "It looks like your leg was damaged during the crash."

He sarcastically remarked, "No, really? What gave you that idea?"

She reached for his arm, "I'll take you to the nearest establishment to get you repaired."

Grievous swatted away her hand as he said, "I don't need your help! I'll be fine on my own!"

"But what about any wild animals that might come and-"

"Rani, I'm not defenseless! I have my lightsabers. I don't need you! Why don't you save someone else for a change? They could certainly use someone like you."

Rani nodded dejectedly and said, "Okay. If that's what you really want."

"Yes. Now go."

She turned sadly and walked towards the transport. Before stepping in, she said, "Bye."

Grievous watched as the _Wanderer_ ascended into the atmosphere and vanished from view.

 ** _I had to do something to protect her! Driving her away like that was not the easiest thing to do, but at least it kept Rani safe. She tried to help me, the young girl, but I didn't want her in harm's way. The war was my fight and not hers. There was also another reason, a reason I did not want to disclose to Rani yet._**

In her workroom, Rani leaned on the table in dejection. She had only been trying to help, but this time, Grievous pushed her away. Now no chance remained of ever being with him. Why should she care? She knew how much the Clone Wars meant to him, so why get in the way of that? _Maybe,_ she thought, _the only way we could ever be happy is leaving each other alone. And I thought he was the one._

She looked at the heartstone she had thrown on the floor when she returned home. She began giving up all hope of ever finding love if she couldn't find it in Grievous. Just then, the holoprojector started beeping on the table. Rani was curious, so she pressed the button to activate it. She was amazed when she saw the numbers 362. She knew it was part of the code she devised with Grievous and meant "Speak with you".

Rani was excited yet wary at the same time, so she replied with the numbers 182, which meant "Rendezvous?" About a minute or so later, the numbers 334 popped up. She knew it meant "Meet me here" and looked at the coordinates Grievous sent. She entered the coordinates in her computer and to her surprise, it was a Separatist listening post! She was concerned until she did more research on it and found that it had been abandoned months ago. Though a bit hesitant, she could not skip the chance to talk to Grievous again. She entered the numbers 534 ("I'll be there") and sent them to Grievous.

She soon got ready and took her cargo transport to the barren moon of Arisalza. The moon where the listening post was stationed was all dry land with the exception of a few flora and fauna, including the beautiful Aurora Star. Rani came to the post at nighttime when the rare flowers were in bloom. She would've loved to find and pick some, but she didn't want to make them rarer than they already were. Besides, she didn't want to keep Grievous waiting. Thankfully, she saw the _Soulless One_ parked outside the station.

When she landed the _Wanderer_ , she cautiously stepped inside and went to the control room. "Hello?" she called out.

"You're here. I was wondering whether or not you would arrive."

The voice surprised her and she turned to see Grievous, who was wearing his cloak and covering the right side.

"So, what did you want to speak to me about?"

"When I drove you away from Utapau. There was a battle and I fled in an escape pod along with various others. I didn't expect for you to find me and aid me again. The reason I was harsh with you was because I didn't want anyone seeing you with me. All I cared about was your safety, so I had to send you away before anyone discovered you. Remember the night we took our camping trip?"

"Yeah."

"You told me about a custom in which people offered gifts to show that they cared." He dug into his cloak pocket as he continued, "I would like to offer this flower as my apology for the way I treated you on Utapau."

Rani's eyes widened when she saw a beautiful rose-colored flower with eight petals and luminescence decorating them and the stamen. She exclaimed as she grabbed it gently, "The Aurora Star! I've always wanted to see one and pick it! Thank you, Grievous! This means so much to me!"

Grievous held Rani's hands in both of his to feel the tingle again. The sensation was stronger than before now. This time, there was warmth to it. At first, he was hesitant to it, but he slowly embraced the feel of touching her hands. He loved her smile and the twinkle in her eyes.

Rani felt it, too. She invited the sweet touch of his metallic hands and found herself wanting to embrace him, to finally feel the hold of his strong arms and hear his proud heartbeat.

The general then asked her, "So does this mean you…?"

Rani nodded, "Yes, I forgive you."

Grievous's eyes twinkled before he closed them and put her hands to his faceplate. This made Rani blush more than ever. There was no denying it now. She could feel the attraction towards him be stronger than ever.

 ** _We both knew then that there was no turning back at that point. We formed a bond that had to be kept secret from most of the galaxy. Though we were closer now than before, neither of us could admit being in love yet. Rani had never been in love before and I had been…until it was taken away. I felt like I could never truly be with Rani until I told her that there was another before her._**


	16. Matters of the Heart

**_Of course I didn't tell Rani at the station! What could I say? That I had loved someone else before her? That she was taken from me all too soon? That I didn't want the same fate to befall Rani?_**

 **** ** _That would've been too much for Rani at the moment and the time wasn't right. I didn't know when I'd tell her about my first love. I thought I'd never have to, but that difficult moment arrived by very odd chance…_**

 ****The battered and bruised Separatist fleet had jumped into hyperspace after losing a battle. Grievous was not too pleased with this. However, he had thoughts of his last meeting with Rani to delight him. He could practically feel the sensation when he had touched her hands. He had wanted to kiss her, but he refrained himself by "kissing" her hands instead. The reason why he didn't "kiss" her on the lips was because his last relationship had not ended well. Grievous was afraid that the same thing might happen again if he surrendered to his feelings for Rani.

Suddenly, an alarm blared. A droid at the controls turned to the general and said, "Sir! The engines had been damaged during battle!"

Grievous quickly ordered, "Get us out of hyperspace and find somewhere for us to land!"

Soon, the fleet was out of hyperspace and to their luck, they were over an uninhabited planet. The ships landed on a wide plain and the droids began repairing the engines. Grievous decided to explore the terrain just as he did in his youth. He wanted to occupy himself while waiting for the ships to be repaired. He did not want to just sit there and do nothing. He had better things to do than to twiddle his thumbs.

Just then, he heard a rustling in the brush. He swiftly and quietly went over to check the noise. He was surprised when he saw a cargo transport, one that closely resembled the _Wanderer_! He thought to himself, _Could it be?_ His suspicions were confirmed when he saw Rani emerge from the side of the transport! Almost instantly, he walked out of the brush and exclaimed, "Rani!"

Rani gasped and cried, "Grievous?!"

They both asked at the same time, "What are you doing here?"

"I'm harvesting crystals!"

"My ships need to be repaired!"

There was a short silence before they burst into laughter.

Rani smiled, "These run-ins are becoming ridiculous."

Grievous suggested, "Or perhaps it is as you have said: the Force wants us to be together."

"Well, I have a heartstone to prove it. Unfortunately, I didn't bring it with me. It was how I found you on Utapau in the first place."

"This heartstone. What exactly is it and what does it do?"

"When I felt that tingle on our camping trip, I decided to look into the Force for answers, but I wasn't that adept at it. It was then I decided to see the Dagoyan Masters and train with them to become more connected to it. Before I left, Queen Julia gave me the heartstone, which is a special crystal that helps you find what you seek. I used it to find my true love and it led me to you."

Grievous was awestruck by this. He was astonished to be even identified as Rani's true love. However, the pain from events long past resurfaced and the fear that came with it multiplied. He shook his head in shame and sighed, "Oh, Rani. If only I could believe that…"

"Maybe I could show you the crystal."

"No, no. I believe you, but…something haunts me and prevents me from ever finding love again."

"Is it the war?"

"Perhaps, but there is a greater obstacle that eats away at my very soul. It's also the reason I sent you away from Utapau besides being discovered. Come. Let us sit down in your transport. I may not find the strength to stay standing up when I tell you."

Rani didn't like the sound of that, but she opened the trunk and they both sat down on crates intended for the crystals or emergency resources.

It took about a minute before Grievous brought himself to tell her all that she needed to hear. He sighed, "Back on Kalee years ago, I was a proud warrior even before I improved myself. When I was rejected by the Jedi, I sought to prove myself worthy by being more of the warlord I was. I bit off more than I could chew, however, and almost got killed by a wild animal one day. Luckily, _she_ had arrived to save me. She told me her name was Lakshida and our friendship was born.

"We fought in many battles together and fell in love during that time. It wasn't long before I decided that fighting wasn't enough anymore. I needed something to make me as powerful – perhaps even more so – as a Jedi. When I was offered to replace my flesh with cybernetic enhancements, I saw it as a chance to prove to the Order that I was a force to be reckoned with. Even after all the procedures I had put myself through, Lakshida stayed right by my side. She even helped me wage my war against the Jedi.

"It was because of them that I lost her. During one fateful battle, a Jedi had impaled her. I took my vengeance out on him and collected his lightsaber. That was how I started collecting the lightsabers of those I killed. Just before Lakshida died, she told me how much she loved me and that I must never surrender to anything but my heart. I never forgot her words or the love we had to this day.

"Ever since we've been seeing each other more, I fear that what happened to Lakshida will someday happen to you. Your father was right when he said he didn't want you involved in the war, but you already have…when you met me."

Rani took pity on him. No wonder he was hesitant to love her. He had lost one love and now he didn't want to gain another if it was going to result in the same way.

She put her hand on his and said, "Yes, I did technically get involved in the war by helping you, but that doesn't mean I can't be your friend. I may never replace Lakshida, but I will give you comfort and compassion when you need it. It's okay if we'll never be anything more than friends. I only care about your happiness, and if that means not pulling you away from the war, then so be it."

Grievous clinched his hands on hers and asked, "Do you mean to say that you care about me despite my participation in the war?"

Rani nodded, "If it is who are you, then I cannot change you."

"Yes, but you've certainly changed my _feelings_ about you. I must move on from my past, but I shall never forget Lakshida. When she perished during that battle, my heart died with her. Ever since then, only blackness and hatred had filled the void where my heart had once been. It had made me stronger…or so I thought.

"I had been in the dark for so long that I almost didn't recognize the light when I saw it. You're that light, Rani. Without you, I never would've remembered joy and kindness. I am ever grateful for that."

To Rani's surprise, Grievous pulled her close to him and wrapped her in his arms. She melted into the hug and leaned her ear against his chestplate. She smiled when she finally heard the general's heartbeat. It was so strong, just like the warrior himself.


	17. Friends New and Old

When she returned to Jharona, Rani was still stunned by the events of that afternoon. First her run-in with Grievous, then hearing his tale of woe, and finally hearing his heartbeat for the first time. She hoped he didn't catch her doing that, but it didn't seem like he did. There was no denying it: she was falling in love with him. She knew there was a completely different side to him and while others didn't see it, she did. She might've been the only one he really, if not completely, opened up to. Otherwise, he wouldn't have told her about Lakshida or his Kaleesh traditions or…his pet.

He had told her about how much Gor meant to him and how he lost the roggwart. He was willing to wreak vengeance on the Jedi for killing his pet, but Rani sensed pain in him. She researched the Kaleesh and found out that roggwarts were a common pet of the race. Rani knew that Gor was the only living remnant of Grievous's past, so she wanted to rectify the wrong the Jedi had wrought upon the general. Though she knew that no life could be replaced, she wanted to try to make things better for Grievous by getting another pet for him.

Rani then set out for Zygerria to buy a roggwart from the cruel market. Normally, she wouldn't even go to Zygerria for its infamy, but she knew that if it meant rescuing just one life, she would go there to save it from a lifetime of needless cruelty. She landed the _Wanderer_ and emerged from the transport in heavy clothes to keep from being identified. She even brought all of the money she saved with her. She did her research on slave markets and its hefty prices, but she was determined to save whoever suffered under the Zygerrians' iron fists.

As she entered the immense capital city, she saw the markets were filthy. She thought of it as a reflection of who the slave traders were: fine-looking on the outside, but ugly and dirty on the inside. She was disgusted and saddened by the scenes that had played out time and time again: slaves being sold, slaves being beaten up, Kowakian monkeys dueling each other, and so many others Rani didn't care to list. She felt pity for the slaves, but she also felt that if she was more Diathim than she was now, she would do everything to bring down slavery. She wanted to help the millions of lives oppressed under the malicious hand of slavery, but she knew that the slave empire was too big to fight alone. Rani knew the risks of revealing her true nature and possibly ending up being another slave in the corrupted engine of the enterprise.

She looked all around the market and eventually found a Zygerrian selling exotic animals. The seller leaned forward and said, "I was wondering if my booth would grab some attention. What would you like?"

Rani peered to her right and pointed to a cage, "I would like the roggwart, please."

In the cage, a tiny roggwart baby was clawing and growling. The Zygerrian said, "Hmmm…A very surprising choice, but I must warn you: this creature is very vicious and will even tear off your hand if you touch him."

Rani knew it was a chance she'd have to take. After all, she was doing it for Grievous…and the roggwart. She put credits on the table and said, "It's a risk I'm willing to take."

He held the credits in his hands and chuckled deviously, "Good luck, then."

After she bought the roggwart, she was returning to her transport until…

"No! I'll never surrender!"

Rani turned around to see a Kaleesh woman running in the market. The woman jumped over a fruit stand and ran in Rani's direction. Suddenly, electro-whips wrapped themselves around the woman's wrists and then her neck. She fell to the ground just as a team of Zygerrian guards rushed up to the captured slave. Then, a tall figure with blue eyes and reddish fur appeared. It was none other than one Atai Molec. He was the captain of the royal guard and Queen Miraj Scintel's confidant, to add.

Atai snarled, "Take her on the ship to Kadavo! We need to have her processed again."

Rani ran up to the group and asked, "What's going on here?"

He looked up and saw a girl clad in heavy garments. There was even a veil that hid her eyes. He answered, "This slave is too headstrong for her own good. We've attempted to process her many times, but whenever we think that she's tamed, she ambushes us. I can only wonder just how many times we have to try before we put her out of her misery."

The Kaleesh growled, "I'd rather die than be anyone's slave!"

Atai shrugged, "Well, if that is your wish, I'd be more than happy to grant it."

But just before he could pull something from his belt, Rani said, "No, wait! How much do you want for her?"

Atai looked at her in surprise and then scoffed, "Girl, this one has a history for escape attempts. With someone like you, she could easily succeed."

"I don't know. Maybe I'll be the one to break her. Now…"She opened the briefcase and showed her credits to the guards, "…how much do you want for her?"

Atai looked at her and said, "We give no refunds."

Rani led the Kaleesh to the transport and put the baby roggwart in the trunk with the woman. As soon as they were in hyperspace, the woman snarled, "You do not control me…"

Rani answered, "Um, I can hear you through the speakers. My name is Rani Captague, a simple merchant girl."

The Kaleesh was confused by this and asked, "Why would a merchant such as you have need for a slave?"

"I only came to Zygerria for the roggwart. When I saw you, I knew I had to do something. That's why I'm going to buy your freedom."

The woman couldn't believe what she was hearing. She asked in a hesitant voice, "You…bought me…just so I…could be free?"

Rani nodded, "Took almost every credit I had. Now all I have to do is make more so I could buy your freedom."

The Kaleesh thought it was too good to be true, so she said, "Not many slave holders do. How would you be any different?"

"My friend is a Kaleesh. I saved you because you're a member of his kind. Trust me, he would be grateful once I free you."

"But I thought you said you were going to break me."

"I worded it in a cryptic way. I am going to break you…from your chains."

"You are a funny one. Funny, but kind."

"What's your name, by the way?"

"Rashi. Rashi vij Sheelal."

When they returned to Jharona, Rani suggested, "You know, you could help me make arts and crafts. I sell them to make money as part of being a merchant."

Rashi shook her head, "The Kaleesh have allied themselves with the Separatists. To sell something made from Kaleesh hands would be a dangerous thing. You could be ruined and I could get sent back to Zygerria or worse. Forgive me, but I'd rather as much lay low."

"Well, I know how else you can pass the time. You can help me train the roggwart. I was thinking about using a guide or something."

Rashi scoffed, "A guide is obsolete compared to having an actual Kaleesh train the creature. My kind knows all the tricks in the trade, so yes. Perhaps I can help you train your new guard pet."

"Actually, it was intended as a gift for the Kaleesh friend I told you about. He lost his guard pet to the Jedi when they intruded his lair."

Then, something dawned on Rashi. She asked, "Wait. What was the name of the guard pet?"

Rani merely answered, "Gor."

Rashi stood silent for a moment until she said, "Let's sit down. There is much to discuss."

Rani knew that something was going on, so she complied and sat down on the couch with Rashi. The woman began to speak, "Before I was captured by slave traders, my family had two roggwarts. The first one was Igna, who Father retrieved from a battle. The second was found after one of my brothers had fought his battle. This roggwart was named Gor."

The girl looked at her with wide eyes as she realized the revelation that Rashi had. She asked the Kaleesh, "You think this is the same Gor my friend had owned?"

"It is possible. Not too many roggwarts were named Gor when I lived on Kalee. But there is something else. My brother went off to fight the Jedi when I was captured."

Rani knew who Rashi's brother might've been, but she asked, "Did he know a girl named Lakshida?"

Rashi nodded, "Oh, yes. They were deeply in love with each other. She and I loved him very much even though he underwent cybernetic transplants."

"Your brother's General Grievous, isn't he?"

"Yes, but back on Kalee, he had another name: Qymaen jai Sheelal. Some time after I had become a slave, the Clone Wars began. I've only heard so much about Qymaen through the HoloNet and spoken tales. You may know him as Grievous, but he'll always be Qymaen to me. Tell me – do you know him?"

"Well, I knew _about_ him before we met. After that, we sort of became friends."

Rashi scoffed, "Not many humans are friends with Kaleesh people. What was it that made him interested in you?"

Rani nervously chuckled, "Quite a use for the word 'interested'. Well, I've been kind to him and I've never hurt him all the times we've seen each other."

"How many times have you seen each other?"

"Several times. It's a bit hard to see him with the war going on."

"Ah, yes. War is a valued tradition on Kalee. The Kaleesh are lucky he's fighting in the Clone Wars so he could have his revenge on the Jedi and we could be avenged. Tell me – why do you choose to stay out of the war?"

"I'm more of a pacifist than a warrior. However, I took lessons with him about how to fight."

"That makes you a hypocrite."

"Maybe." However, Rani knew that it went deeper than that. She was half-human, half-Diathim. She wasn't completely one thing or another. She was proportioned in terms of biology and ideals. To change the subject, she asked, "What do you think I should name the roggwart?"

Rashi thought for a few moments and then said, "Give it a name that reflects the warrior culture."

When they found out that the roggwart was a male, they gave him the name Spartacus.

Between business trips and crafting, Rani found time to train Spar with Rashi's help. During those next few weeks, Rashi got a taste of the good life. However, she was unaccustomed to it on account of the hard lifestyle she had experienced on Kalee and as a slave. She was surprised that Rani didn't treat her like a servant, but as an equal. Over time, she developed a good friendship with Rani. Rani shared her stories about her times with Grievous, and Rashi shared her memories of her life on Kalee. Rashi liked that Rani got along with Grievous and wondered if they could be something more…

Rashi checked the planetary calendars installed in the holoprojector in the attic and found Kalee. Just in the hallway downstairs, Rani heard Rashi exclaim in Kaleesh, " _Brakt ta tuk oh!"_

Rani went to the steps and called up, "Rashi, is everything okay?"

"Come up here!"

Rani did as she was told and saw Rashi over the holoprojector. The woman said, "It is almost Qymaen's birthday! Have you saved enough money yet?"

Rani then pulled up a datapad and smiled, "You are officially a free woman as of today!"

Rashi rushed over to Rani and hugged her. She smiled, "Thank you, thank you! I can now go home!"

"I can take you to Kalee on my transport."

"Your offer is very much appreciated."

Rani soon contacted Grievous and his response was only a "maybe". He reassured that he'd come to Arisalza when he had the time. Rani then took Spar and Rashi to the abandoned listening post and waited for him. Fortunately, they didn't wait too long before Rani sensed a familiar presence. She ushered Rashi, "Hide! I think he's coming!"

Rashi hid in the shadows with Spar in her arms while Rani waited for Grievous to show up. Both of their hearts jumped in delight when he came into the control room. He hugged Rani and said, "It is so good to see you again. I was wondering whether or not you forgot about me."

She smiled, "How could I forget you, even on a day like today?"

"Something tells me you didn't call me just so we could meet."

She turned towards the shadows and said, "Come on out!"

This surprised Grievous and he grabbed for his lightsaber. His eyes widened when he saw his sister emerge with a roggwart in her arms. He released his grip on the lightsaber and asked breathlessly, "Rashi? Is that…?"

Rashi smiled and said, "Yes, Qymaen. It is me, Rashi. Happy birthday."

The cyborg rushed over to her and felt her body to make sure she was real. She put down Spar before brother and sister embraced each other. Grievous was the tighter hugger, however. He could hardly believe all of this was happening, and on his birthday, too. After a long time hugging his sister, he asked her, "Rashi, what happened after you were captured? How did Rani find you?"

After Rani left the two siblings alone, Rashi explained about her life as a slave and how she attempted to escape from numerous masters. She told Grievous that she never gave up her willpower even in those dark times. She said, "I have you to thank, really. If you weren't fighting in the Clone Wars, I wouldn't have been here today. News about you helped me fuel my resolve and keep my spirit up. Freedom was all I ever wanted, and thanks to Rani, I have that again. There is one more thing I need her help for: getting me home."

Grievous said, "I'm sure the _Klomatsen_ will be happy to see you again, _brischaka._ "

Rashi asked, "But what about you? The _Klomatsen_ will be happy to see you, too."

"I can never go back. Many people died when I tried to fight the Jedi. I exiled myself before Count Dooku found me and made me the Supreme Commander of the Separatist Droid Armies."

"So everything Rani said was true."

"Of course. She's never lied about anything."

"Even the tales she told me about her and you?"

This made Grievous nervous to hear that.

As Rashi and Rani were going out to the _Wanderer_ , Grievous stopped Rani and asked her, "Rani, when you told her about our adventures together, what exactly did you tell her?"

Rani answered, "Everything but the Blue Shadow Virus incident, the heartstone, my heritage, and my Force-sensitivity. I figured you wouldn't want me to tell her about those things."

This relieved Grievous and he said, "This reunion has made my birthday all worth it. But I must ask you to do one thing: take Rashi home safely and tell the Kaleesh you mean them no harm. Understand?"

Rani nodded her head and then asked, "But what about Spar?"

"It is very considerate that you would get another roggwart for me. The truth is, though, he is still a young pup and still requires training. I'll be away at war most of the time, so I cannot do it. And what if I don't survive? He'll have no master."

"How about Rashi? Maybe she can take care of him."

"Kalee is one of the best places to raise a roggwart. I'm afraid that you might not be able to take care of him with your…secrets."

"Good point. I'm glad your birthday turned out well."

He ruffled her hair and said, "It would not have been had it not been for you and Rashi." They then heard a clatter coming from the transport. He added, "And Spar."

Rani and Grievous embraced before they parted ways. Both wondered when they'd ever see each other again.

 **AN: The term** ** _"Klomatsen"_** **means "people" or "neighbors".** ** _"Brischaka"_** **means "older sister".**


	18. A Night to Remember

Grievous had made another narrow escape from his Jedi nemeses. He had a perfect streak of victories for a while and then it became undone within a single day. Grievous didn't know what could be worse than…

 _BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!_

He growled in frustration when he found that the hyperdrive of his starfighter was malfunctioning. He pulled the _Soulless One_ out of hyperspace and found he was in a familiar star system.

 ** _Seriously?! My hyperdrive malfunctioned and now I'm in the Iego system?! Whatever you're planning, Force, it better be for a good reason!_**

Grievous then drove his ship to Millius Prime and hoped that he'd find Rani's village. Thankfully, he saw her transport in the dimming dusk. His heart leapt knowing that if the _Wanderer_ was there, Rani must be, too. He carefully set his starfighter down next to another unknown craft. Its design was very similar to a starship from Naboo. He walked towards the village and found that lights and decorations were hung from the edges of roofs and windows. The Diathim who were celebrating in the street had stopped as soon as they saw the _Soulless One_ descend onto the ground.

He said slowly, "My ship's hyperdrive has malfunctioned and I am wondering if any of you know how to fix it."

Just then, a small figure emerged from the crowd. Grievous looked at her and said, "Rani!"

"Grievous?"

"All right, let me explain. I was in hyperspace when my hyperdrive short-circuited. I found myself in the Iego system and here I am."

Cassell crossed his arms and said, "Ran away from another battle, huh?"

Rani turned to her father and said, "Dad!"

At the same time, Aurora scolded, "Cassell!"

Rani faced Grievous again and said, "I'm sorry about that. We'll have your hyperdrive fixed soon enough."

Rhea then appeared from the crowd and asked, "But what about your birthday party?"

Grievous asked Rani, "It's your birthday today?"

Rani nodded, "On Millius Prime, yes. It's my 20th birthday. But I can fix your hyperdrive if it's urgent."

"Well, I didn't say it was urgent. I suppose I could stay the night with your family if I am welcomed."

Rani turned to her family. Rhea and Cassell tried to mask uneasy looks, but Aurora calmly said, "We will permit it, but only if you put your lightsabers in your craft."

Grievous bowed his head in respect, "Consider it done, milady."

After he put his lightsabers in his starfighter and disabled his transceiver so no one could contact him, Grievous returned to the renewed festivity. He could hardly remember the last time his people held a celebration. There was dancing, chanting, and exchanging of stories. He was so caught up in the memory of his last festivity that he was startled when a voice said, "Hi."

He turned and saw Rhea, who had wings like her sister, beside him. He said, "Hello."

Rhea struggled to get the right words out for fear of angering him. She said, "I…was wondering when we'd…meet in-person."

"So, is this a tradition for the Diathim to hold a celebration for someone's birthday?"

She nodded, "Pretty much. We also have holidays that we celebrate."

"Do you and Rani return to Millius Prime often?"

"Well, yeah. We'd usually come for the birthday and holiday parties."

"Your parents must consider themselves fortunate to be so far away from the war. Tell me – why do you live on Naboo?"

This made Rhea nervous. She knew she had to answer carefully, so she said, "When I moved away from Millius Prime, I chose to live on Naboo because of its waters. I love being near water and there were also people who needed help. This was before the war began."

"Do you consider yourself Republic-affiliated?"

"Not really. The only reason I'm staying on Naboo is because I want to help those in need. Plus, I don't think I can find another planet with such a beautiful environment."

Grievous scoffed, "There are other planets that are more beautiful than Naboo."

"Maybe." Wanting to change the subject, Rhea said, "Getting back to Rani's birthday, I think there's a tradition you'll want to see."

"Oh? And that is?"

"Look." She gave a smile as she pointed at the front door of her house.

Grievous turned in that direction and was stunned by what he saw. Rani stepped out the door in a pink knee-length dress with sequins in curves that decorated the dress. There was also a single rose that adorned the left side of her head. Her lips were now a rose red and her eye shadow was subtle yet entrancing. Her wings were now visible and amplified the beauty of the girl in whole. Normally, it was the wings that captivated Grievous, but he was more entranced by how beautiful Rani looked tonight.

He said to Rhea, "She looks…astounding."

"Well, tell her that."

"I don't know if she'd believe me."

Just then, Rani walked up to them and asked, "How do I look?"

"You look wonderful, sis," Rhea said. She looked to Grievous, but he didn't say a word. Rhea whispered, "Say something to compliment her."

"Er…" Grievous said. "You are…you look…" He looked at her rose barrette and he got an idea. "You look more beautiful than any rose I've seen." He mentally face-palmed when he realized how bad that sounded. Truth was he hadn't seen many roses on all the worlds he visited on his war campaign. The girls, however, were taken by his statement. They thought it was romantic.

Rani smiled, "Thank you. I'm glad you like it."

 ** _I really should've done better than that._**

The Dance of the Wings was a traditional dance among the angels. However, it took certain variations for different occasions. One's 20th birthday signified adulthood and it was on this night that Rani had to perform a version of the Dance of the Wings. The Diathim danced all around the square until it was Rani's time to shine. Grievous and Rani's family sat on a bench eagerly waiting for Rani to show up. Rani walked to the center of the square with a pink ribbon.

Aurora explained, "The ribbon signifies her childhood. She will perform the coming-of-age Dance of the Wings as a rite of passage."

Rhea told Grievous, "It took us many months to get the steps down. I did this dance and now she will, too."

Rani then began to dance a set of intricate steps while fluttering her wings. Several times, she lifted herself off the ground and floated for a few seconds. She twirled her ribbon as she spun and danced. Towards the end of the dance, she began to dance faster and more intensely. She spun around and around until she flew into the air and dropped her ribbon. She positioned herself in front of the moon so her wings glowed in the moonlight.

Grievous and the others were in complete awe of the moonlit shimmer Rani's wings emitted. He thought she looked like something from a mural of a Kaleesh goddess. She stayed in the air for about several seconds before coming down. She took a final bow and the crowd erupted in applause. Aurora came forward and presented her with a pendant.

She told her daughter, "You have now become a woman. Congratulations."

Afterwards, the Diathim resumed dancing. Rani and Rhea both absorbed their wings so they could dance more freely. Grievous watched on the sidelines at the festive scene. It made him wish desperately to go back to Kalee even if for a while. But he couldn't find the strength to return home, not after his people were massacred. He wondered how Rashi was doing and if she was all right. She was probably hearing those tales of how her brother led their people to ruin.

"Are you okay?"

The cyborg turned to see Rani. His eyes flickered to the crowd and returned to her. He said, "Your festivity reminds me of the ones on my homeworld. It is making me weary with heartache. Could we go somewhere private?"

Rani nodded, "Sure."

She took him to a small hill near the village. It gave a wonderful view of the moon and the surrounding plains. They sat on the bench and remained silent for a several moments.

Finally, Grievous spoke, "I was wrong when I said you looked more beautiful than any rose."

Rani faced him in worry and asked, "Oh? Why?"

He sighed, "You are much more than that. You don't just _look_ beautiful. You _are_ beautiful. I've never said that to anyone but Lakshida. Lakshi and I were warriors of our caliber, raised in the same culture. You, however, are against everything I stand for."

He was worried that the words were coming out wrong, so he added, "But I suppose some of our ideals are similar. You are willing to fight when necessary, you have a sense of honor, and…and…" He couldn't list any more, so he said, "I've never known anyone like you, Rani. You are special. You are compassionate. Everything that I couldn't possibly be." He mentally cursed himself for saying that.

Rani sensed that Grievous's emotions were at conflict. Choosing her words carefully, she asked, "What would you like to be?"

He answered, "I want to prove that I am more powerful than any Jedi. I want to prove that I can be the same warrior I was before my exile. I want to show the galaxy what I can do. But I am being held back – by the Sith, by the battle droids, by the Jedi and their precious Republic!"

Rani nodded, "I get it. You want to be more than you are today. I've felt that way, too. I want to make my mark by being special."

"Didn't you hear what I told you? You _are_ special! You just don't see that. You were born to a Diathim mother and have Force-sensitivity in you."

"You're special too, you know. You can split your arms in half, you're a skilled warrior, and you care very much about your people."

He chuckled, "All right. Point taken. But there's one thing you excluded: my gift to you."

Rani was astonished and confused at the same time. He continued, "But first, you have to sing 'I See You'."

She nodded and began to sing, _"I see you…"_

Much to her surprise, he sang slowly, _"I see you…"_

She smiled and sang the next two verses, " _Walking through a dream…I see you…"_

He sang, " _My light in darkness breathing hope of new life…"_

 _"_ _Now I live through you and you through me…"_

 _"_ _Enchanting…"_

 _"_ _I pray in my heart that this dream never ends…"_

 _"_ _I see me through your eyes…"_

 _"_ _Breathing through life, flying high…"_

 _"_ _Your love shines the way into paradise…"_

 _"_ _So I offer my life as a sacrifice…"_

They both gazed at each other intently and sang together, _"I live through your love…And live through your life…I see you…I see you…"_

At that moment, they knew they had profoundly confessed their love for each other, even if in song. They touched foreheads while Grievous whispered, "Happy birthday, Rani."

To her surprise, he angled his mask so that the area between his eyes and vocabulator touched her lips. She fell into the kiss and returned his affections.

 ** _That was our first taste of forbidden love. Though I could not truly feel Rani's lips, I imagined that the kiss was as sweet as the girl herself._**

It went on for about several seconds before they broke apart. Rani was amazed and said, "Wow. I did not see that coming."

Grievous shrugged, "It was inevitable, but yes. It was a surprise."

"You know, you're the first guy I ever kissed."

He looked at her in surprise and said, "Really? You've never kissed someone before?"

"Well, not on the lips. The truth is I never dated a guy before. I've never kissed anyone but my family."

"I suppose you know you weren't the first one I kissed. Now that I don't have lips, I feel like I'm cheating you out of a complete kiss."

"It's okay. I never thought much of feeling someone's mouth on mine. It makes me uncomfortable. I'm glad that I kissed you, though. It doesn't matter whether or not I feel your mouth. It's the sincerity that counts."

He pulled her close to his body and said, "I'm glad you think so."

Though Cassell was still uncomfortable letting Grievous sleep in his house, he let the general sleep in the guest room across from the sisters' room. Grievous stood by the girls' door and heard their chuckling.

He heard Rani say, "It's just like old times, right?"

Rhea said, "Yep. Back when we were kids."

"Rhea, what's it going to be like now that I'm an adult?"

"Well, you may be an adult now, but you're still my kid sister."

Grievous took heart in Rani's chuckle. It reminded him of the times he had spent with his siblings. His family was tight up until his father died in battle. He and his brothers vowed to follow their father's footsteps and become warriors like he was. Some of his siblings were now dead, either in battle or…He felt that many of his people, including some of his kin, had died not just because of the Republic, but also because he brought those scum to his planet. He would never admit that he was partly to blame…not now, not ever.

Later, Rani went to the guest bedroom and asked Grievous, "Are you okay sleeping here for the night?"

"Of course. I would not be happy anywhere else but with you or in my lair. I'm not sure about your family, however."

"I'm sure that with enough time, they'll be more accepting towards you."

"Please do not tell them about the kiss. It'll be just between us, all right?"

"Okay."

He told her "happy birthday" before she left the room. As he dozed off, he thought of the wonderful memories he made tonight.

 ** _I've got to hand it to the Force. It really is an all-powerful thing. If my hyperdrive hadn't malfunctioned, I wouldn't have attended Rani's birthday party and we wouldn't have had our first kiss. Still, I wondered if our relationship would even have a chance to go further than that one kiss._**


	19. His Turn

He never forgot that kiss ever since that night. Though he was wearing a mask, Grievous could still feel every ounce of affection he drew from her lips. Every time things were going rough for him, he would always think back to the first kiss he shared with Rani. They both knew that they were past the point of no return, but where would they go from there? Would it suddenly end just like that? Would either of them eventually get caught and have their love forcibly taken from them? Could this relationship really go on?

Grievous didn't like to think of those things. Still, those worries crept up time and again and clouded his thoughts about Rani. Sometimes he worried about her safety and wondered if she was really safe with him. She rescued him, but would he rescue her? The answer came just a month or two after Rani's birthday.

A4-D had just finished replacing his master's damaged parts when the control panel began to beep. The doctor droid said, "Master, the transmission is coming from an unknown planet. The signal has been traced back to the Iego system."

Grievous knew that the call was from Millius Prime and possibly Rani's parents. After his chair moved forward, Grievous answered the transmission. A hologram of a Diathim, who looked distressed, appeared.

A4-D exclaimed, "Mrs. Captague?"

The general asked, "What is it?" Despite the question, Grievous knew that it couldn't be anything good. He feared the worst had happened. Was Rani killed? Was she captured? Did she join the Republic?

Aurora pleaded, "General Grievous, we need your help. Pirates have kidnapped Rhea and Rani. They contacted the girls' grandmother Corusca for a ransom. But she was too stubborn and called my husband to rescue the girls. Cassell and I knew that it was too risky, so we thought of the only being that could successfully rescue our children: you. You are the only one Rani trusts outside of us and you are strong enough to take out those pirates, but please do not kill them."

Grievous groaned that he could not put the pirates out of their misery, but he was willing to do whatever it took to get Rani and her sister back, even if it meant not killing the kidnappers. He then told Aurora, "Milady, I will rescue your two daughters."

She smiled, "Thank you! And I will ask one more time: _please_ don't kill the pirates. I can't let the girls be framed for murder."

He bowed his head, "I shall not let anything happen to Rani and her sister."

As soon as the hologram disappeared, the doctor droid asked, "This is a dangerous undertaking. Are you sure you want to go through with this?"

Grievous turned to his droid and said, "I cannot let Rani's life be endangered. She means too much to me."

"But won't your secret get revealed if you rescue the girls?"

There was silence as Grievous realized this. He pondered on this and then said, "Don't pirates value starfighters like mine?"

"Why, yes. But why do you ask?"

"Because I have an idea."

The pirate ship was floating in space as the crew celebrated. Suddenly, the transceiver beeped. The lead pirate, a Weequay, said, "Oh! I think that's our money now!"

He pressed the button and a hologram of a doctor droid came on. He said, _"Greetings. I am Corusca Captague's personal doctor droid. I have called to inform you that the ransom will be delivered as promised."_

The pirate whooped, "Whoo-wee! We just got our biggest payday yet, boys!" His crew whooped in enthusiasm before the leader continued, "Have the ransom delivered to us in the Paza system, over the planet Keff."

The doctor droid bowed his head and said, _"As you wish."_ His hologram soon faded out.

The pirates arrived over Keff shortly afterwards. They anxiously waited for the arrival of the ransom. After several minutes, a human pirate said, "There's a starfighter coming out of hyperspace."

This alarmed the crew until the starfighter appeared in front of the ship. A pirate asked, "It's not going to attack us, is it?"

The leader's eyes widened as he remarked, "No. It's a Belbullab-22 starfighter! We're going to be rich! Activate the tractor beam and pull it into the hangar!"

Soon after the tractor beam was activated, all of the pirates scurried down to the hangar and watched as the starfighter was pulled into the bay. The group rushed to the starfighter, but the viewport soon retracted and the pirates were in shock about who was inside.

"Surprise." General Grievous said.

Before anyone knew it, Grievous knocked out several pirates and dealt with the rest. He left just one pirate conscious so he could ask him, "Where are the Captague girls?"

The Rodian whimpered, "They're in the detention block, cell A-14."

"Thank you. One warning, though: do not say anything about this ordeal. That would be embarrassing for you." With one swift punch, Grievous knocked the pirate.

Grievous then went to cell A-14 and activated his lightsaber. He heard Rhea's voice ask, "Is that a Jedi?"

He used his lightsaber to cut the pad by the doors. The doors opened and he saw his beloved and her sister behind bars. He told them, "Not quite."

Rani smiled, "Grievous!"

Rhea then remarked, "Wow. I'm surprised you'd be the one to rescue us."

Grievous said, "Well, think of it this way: it's my turn to rescue Rani."

He cut the lock on the door and opened it. Rani embraced him and said, "Thank you."

"No. _I_ should be thanking _you_. If you never saved me, I wouldn't be here to rescue you now."

Rhea asked, "But what about the pirates?"

The general answered, "I have already taken care of them." When he saw the unease on the girls' faces, he added, "And no, they're not dead."

Just before Grievous left in his starfighter, he wanted to share one more moment with Rani.

Grievous joked, "So, who's the one in distress now?"

Rani smiled, "Yeah, it was bound to happen at some point. I'm just surprised you took out those pirates by yourself. And with no lightsaber, too."

"Well, your mother requested that I do not kill anyone. Besides, I didn't want to frame you and your sister for murder, even if the victims were pirate scum."

"Not too fond of pirates, huh?"

"Remember who took the _Soulless One_ to begin with."

"Right. Pirates."

"Yes, but I suppose that if it hadn't been for them, I never would've met you." He pulled her close to him and kissed her head.

Rani smiled and thought the kiss was a romantic gesture. She thought that maybe he could have more opportunities to prove his love for her. She said, "The Force does things for a reason. Maybe it could let us see each other more often."

He ruffled her hair and said, "I sincerely hope so."

When he got back to his lair, A4-D went up to him, saying, "Master, the girls are on the HoloNet news! See for yourself!"

Grievous pushed a button on his control panel and an image flashed on one of the numerous screens. The voice said, _"This just in. Rhea and Rani Captague, granddaughters of the now-retired merchant Corusca Captague, landed on Keff after being rescued by an anonymous being. They said they were kidnapped by pirates before a masked stranger knocked out the ghastly group and rescued the girls. All they knew about this rescuer was that he was male. Their grandmother has issued a reward for the mysterious rescuer, but it is likely that the mystery will never be solved._

 _ **And I intend for it to stay that way.**_


	20. Saving Jharona

**_We began to see each other more frequently. Most of the time, we spoke via hologram, but on the rare occasions we would rendezvous, we cherished every single moment. We soon shared more kisses, more stories, and more songs. We had fallen deeper and deeper in love every time we saw each other. We didn't realize just how dangerous keeping our secret was until it hit home._**

Grievous had requested to see Rani again and settled on a time and place. They had agreed rendezvous again on Kipla's moon. This time, they chose a site that had become their favorite: a waterfall with a stone overhang next to it. It was used for when their meetings only lasted an hour or so.

By the edge of the waterfall, Rani showed him images of a trip she recently took. She told Grievous, "This is me on Carlac. The trees there are beautiful, even if they're covered with snow." Another image flashed and it showed Rani with the Ming Po people. She continued, "This is me with the Ming Po people. They are very nice people and they make beautiful pottery and rugs."

She looked to see that Grievous was troubled. She asked, "Is something wrong?"

He faced her and said, "Rani, Jharona's in danger because of us."

Her eyes widened and she breathed, "What?"

He sighed and continued, "Count Dooku suspects that Jharona may be leaning towards the Separatists because of the rumors about a girl. And that girl…is you."

"Me?"

"Word had reached the Jharonites that you bought a Kaleesh slave and then released her. But they think otherwise. They think that Rashi was a spy for the Separatists and you were in on it."

Rani retorted, "Rashi was not a spy and I was not part of a plot!"

"But you're involved with me. If the Jharonites were to discover our bond…" He sighed and continued, "…it would mean certain death for us both."

There was silence until Rani said, "Are you suggesting…?"

Grievous nodded sadly, "Yes. We must not see each other anymore. But we might have a chance to have one last moment together. I asked Count Dooku to let me lead the droid army on Jharona. Thankfully, he allowed me, but only if I follow his orders, even if that order is doing unspeakable things to the Jharonites."

"I won't let the Jharonites get harmed because of me."

"I know you mean well, dearest, but you cannot risk your life. Not this time. I need you to stay in your house at all times. I do not know what the fate of Jharona will be, but in case we don't see each other there, let us make the most of our time here."

 ** _I knew I had to tell her right then and there. If not now, then when? Never?_**

He grabbed Rani's hands and clutched them. He said, "We've known this for a long time. Ever since the festival on Cliope, I couldn't deny it. I did not want to admit this because I was afraid that I would lose you just like with Lakshi. But I must tell you."

He took a deep breath and continued, "Rani…You are my angel, my one true light. You've helped me see beauty again and remember what joy is like. You keep me going whenever I have a difficult time in the Clone Wars. I value war, but I am finding that I value you more. This is not the easiest thing for me to say, but…I love you. I truly mean that.

"I don't care if you're Force-sensitive. I don't care if you're half-Diathim or even one-tenth. All that matters is you. You are the girl who has shown me mercy when others didn't. You see the beauty in me whereas others couldn't. You mean more to me than any lightsaber I collect from slain Jedi. I love you, Rani. I hope you feel the same way about me."

Rani smiled, "I do. I knew it since that moment on Cliope. I couldn't be sure until the heartstone led me to you. What I did know for certain was that there was another side to you, one hidden from the rest of the galaxy. You've chosen to open up to me and I'm glad to see you for who you truly are: a strong, passionate, and confident warrior. You've been through so much pain that I want to heal your every wound. I want to be your confidant whenever you need me.

"I love you too, Grievous. You're stronger than anything in the galaxy. Your determination cannot be defeated. I don't care if you're the most hated being in the galaxy. I don't care what people say about you. I don't care if we're not on the same side. What matters is that I love you, and nothing will change that."

He stroked her hair and asked, "You mean it?"

She nodded, "Every word."

Grievous began to sing, _"_ _There never was a love like mine for you…Never was a love like mine…All the other men you may have met…never gave love you gonna get…There never was a torch that burned so blue…Never was a love like mine... for you…_

 _"_ _There never was a love like mine for you…Never was a love like mine…All the love you may have read about…Honey, you can just forget about…There never was a spring romance for two…Never was a love like mine... for you…_

 _"_ _Tell me a thousand times each day…you´ve never been loved this way…Swear to me you´ll never roam, dear…Promise me you´ll stay at home, dear…_

 _"_ _There never was a love like mine for you…Never was a love like mine…Little cupids with their bows and such…never shot an arrow that meant much…to any little love for any two…Never was a love like mine...for you…Never was a love like mine...for you…Rani, for you…"_

The couple embraced and locked into a lengthy and meaningful kiss.

Rani did as Grievous requested and stayed in her house. She considered packing up and leaving Jharona, but she knew that would make her seem guilty. She locked all of the doors and windows as a precaution and passed the time by reading until the Separatist fleet got here. On the second day since she became house-bound, she heard a loud, rumbling noise. She looked out her window and thought, _He's here._

The Separatist landing crafts descended onto the ground next to the village. Battle droids marched out from the center craft and they were followed by super battle droids, commando droids, and finally General Grievous himself, flanked by his two MagnaGuards. Most of the Jharonites hid in their houses and various other buildings. However, the magistrate and his council met the droid general at the edge of town.

Grievous said to him, "I assume that you're Magistrate Teng Alexi."

Alexi nodded, "Yes, general. On the business of your arrival, I will say that Jharona has no plans in changing its neutral affiliation."

"We shall see about that. Take me to the girl named Rani Captague."

"As you wish."

After he jumped on his combat speeder, Grievous followed two Jharonites and Alexi to the mountain home where Rani lived.

 ** _I could hardly believe that I would see Rani's house again since the day Gor was buried. As I climbed each step up to her porch, I masked my enthusiasm and fear with pride and strength._**

He came upon the front door with his MagnaGuards. He knocked on the door and said, "Captague! It is I, General Grievous! I want to speak to you!"

 ** _No reply. Containing my anxiety, I knocked again, only more insistently._**

"Captague! I know you're in there! Answer the door!"

This time, Rani opened the door. She said as if she was speaking to Grievous for the first time, "Uh…Sorry for my tardiness, General. I was busy with something."

"I would like to come inside so we can discuss matters of the rumor." Before he stepped inside, he told his bodyguards, "Stand outside and keep guard." After the door closed behind Grievous, he said, "You had me worried, Rani! I thought you had run off or that something happened to you."

She said, "Sorry about that. I didn't know whether to hide or not."

"Rani, when I asked you to stay in the house, I didn't mean hiding from the outside. Now…" He set a holocam down on the coffee table as Rani sat down on the couch. He continued, "You see this? I need to show Dooku proof you told me the absolute truth about the rumors. What I want you to do is just say what you need to say. Just answer my questions clearly and to the point. Understand?"

When she nodded, he activated the holocam and asked Rani, "Where did you buy the slave?" It disgusted Grievous to use that word, especially when it involved someone of his kind.

Rani answered, "On Zygerria. I was buying a pet as a gift for a friend. Just when I was leaving, I saw Rashi – the slave girl – running in the market. When she was detained by Zygerrian guards, I offered to buy her. When we were in hyperspace, I told Rashi that I freed her so I could buy her freedom."

"And this was all?"

"Yes."

"Where is she now?"

"I brought her back to her homeworld when she was freed."

"You realize that this means you are aiding the Separatists."

"Was Rashi affiliated with any side of the war before and after I freed her? I simply did the right thing by returning her to her home. I believe that affiliation is only by individual choice, not by the race that chooses affiliation with one side. But if I know Rashi, she'll be loyal to her people to the end."

There was silence until Grievous said, "I think that's enough questions."

When he turned off the holocam, Rani asked, "So, how did I do?"

He chuckled, "You did well, dearest. You answered truthfully, yet didn't give away too much information. I'm proud of you for acting like you didn't know me as you really do."

She smiled as he kissed her forehead. She said, "By the way, I saw your speeder when you were coming up to the house. It looks awesome."

"I'm glad you think so. Let us spend our last moments together with care."

Grievous lifted Rani and both of them kissed with passion.

 ** _It was such a bittersweet moment between us. We couldn't bear the thought of being forever apart. I hated leaving her, especially when there was a very high chance I might not survive the war. But I was a Separatist general and she was a merchant girl neutral in the war. How could it possibly work?_**

Grievous had said his good-byes to his beloved before leaving Jharona. He told Alexi that the rumors of any Separatist affiliation were completely false. His voice was filled with disdain not for Jharona's innocence, but for the fact he might never see Rani again.

 ** _If Rani was safe from treason, then why did my heart feel so empty?_**

 **AN: The song Grievous sang to Rani was from "Mad Monster Party". I do not own the song.**


	21. A Brush with the Dark Side

For several months, there was no contact between Grievous and Rani. Just before he left the house that day, she told him she would always look out for him. She kept true to her promise, watching the HoloNet news every day and scouring any piece of information about her beloved. Still, her heart ached that she could never be with him. She had come to know who he truly was, not what the galaxy thought of him. But she wanted to do nothing with the war whatsoever.

Rani didn't resort to violence unless she needed to and Grievous only did so for two reasons: it was tradition on his homeworld and for vengeance against the Jedi and the Republic. She wondered what drove him to commit such acts of villainy. If he loved her very much and cared about her safety, why didn't he consider her point of view? She wanted him to forgive the Jedi, but he was so resolute on revenge that she couldn't convince him otherwise. Although she knew he wasn't Force-sensitive, she wanted to understand the emotions behind the motives, even if it meant…dabbling with the dark side of the Force. She knew how dangerous it would be, but she thought that with her half-angel genes, she could resist the dark side with relative ease…hopefully.

Rani took her transport and went to Dathomir to see the Nightsisters. She had only read about the witches, but never thought that she'd ever go to Dathomir until now. She was curious about how the Nightsisters could channel the dark side without going all dark. She entered the foreboding atmosphere of Dathomir and landed on the planet's blood-red surface. She climbed out of the _Wanderer_ and cautiously walked towards a mountainside fortress. The entrance had the face of a woman carved on the entablature and the lifelike statues of other women held up the entablature. Rani was intimidated by this and began to have second thoughts.

 _WHOOSH! WHOOSH!_

Rani jumped and saw a group of Nightsisters surrounding her with bows up and swords drawn. One of the women said, "We don't like strangers."

Rani held up her hands and said uneasily, "I mean you no harm. I come in peace. I'm Force-sensitive, too."

Another Nightsister said, "Prove it."

Rani complied and concentrated. Within mere moments, a Nightsister's sword was levitated into the air. The group of Nightsisters watched in awe of this. After the sword was brought down to its owner's hands, the witches began to chatter.

"She has spoken the truth!"

"She's not a Jedi, is she?"

"I do not see a lightsaber."

"Who is she?"

Just then, Rani felt an awful chill course throughout her body. She turned and saw a woman in red robes descending to the ground. The woman looked at her and said, "I sense the light side within you. Yet, you are strong in the Force. Tell me - why have you come here?"

Rani said, "Well, I want to learn about your culture and how you control the dark side. You see, my friend has been corrupted by hatred and wants revenge on the people he calls his most hated enemies. A long time ago, he wanted to prove himself to them, but they wouldn't let him be one of them. He started a war with them and his enemies eventually wronged him by killing many of his people. He is now fighting in the Clone Wars to get revenge on them."

The woman in red robes said, "Is he Force-sensitive?"

"No. That's why he wasn't able to become what he aspired to be."

"Ah…You speak of the Jedi, yes?"

Rani nodded, "Yes."

"Which side are you taking in the Clone Wars?"

"Neutral, actually."

"And yet, from what you tell us, your friend is most likely fighting for the Separatists."

"Wait, how did you…?"

"We have mercenaries roaming the galaxy. We are not completely cut off from the rest of the universe. Now answer me this: if your friend is not Force-sensitive, but you are, what is the purpose of your visit?"

"Well, I want to understand what motivates a person to do such horrible things. I know he's not completely like that, but he's blinded by anger and hatred."

The robed woman rubbed her chin and then said, "You should be aware of such emotions yourself. You are only human."

"But that's just it. I'm not completely human."

This intrigued the Nightsisters, and their clan leader asked, "Show us."

Rani turned her back towards the leader and spread her wings. The Nightsisters gasped at the sight of them.

The girl then explained, "I'm half-human, half-Diathim. I do understand human emotion, but I can't understand why anger and resentment bring on acts of evil."

The woman said, "You must channel the dark side in order to understand it. Since you use the light side of the Force, I doubt you will use the dark side more than you need to. Very well. We will teach you what you need to know, but I warn you: you have brought this upon yourself."

When Rani entered the cavern, she felt a debilitating chill throughout her body. She thought to herself, _Maybe this wasn't a good idea._

As they got to the village, a Nightsister pointed out, "Mother, the girl is shivering."

The clan leader turned to Rani and said, "It is the dark side you are feeling. You are unaccustomed to it, so we shall remedy that."

She ordered the Nightsisters to bring the water of life and the young women put the green water in a few bowls. Rani was surprised yet uneasy that the water was green, but she assumed that it was part of their culture. The Nightsisters then put the bowls on the ground, forming a circle around Rani.

The clan leader then told Rani, "This spell will give you a taste of the dark side so you may have power over it. Only you can choose whether to embrace it or ignore it. The spell will give you enough for what you need to know and nothing more. But there is one more thing: we need your name."

Rani hesitantly said, "My name is...Rani Captague."

The woman gestured to herself, "I am Mother Talzin, clan leader of the Nightsisters. We have practiced and controlled dark-side magic for generations. We don't share our teachings with just any outsider. The last time it happened, a severe wrong was wrought upon us. You, however, are full of goodness. We are certain that you will not turn against us because of your half-angel blood. There is just too much light to be overcome by darkness.

"But I must warn you, Rani: you must balance both the light and the dark. We may be dark-side witches, but we do not let the darkness consume us. What you request will change the girl you are now. You will never be the same after this."

Rani asked, "How different will I be?"

"Not too different, hopefully. But you might form new judgments when you see things from another's point of view."

"But if I don't understand the dark side, how will I ever understand my friend? If I stay like this, I might turn away from him the more he does evil."

"Ah…Young love, I assume? Remember, Rani: love is a blessing and a curse. It can cause us to do things that can be both risky and regrettable."

"But what if there is still good in him?"

"If you have not turned him away from the war, then you are wrong."

A spark of anger burned within Rani while a twinge of sadness pressed her heart.

Talzin sensed it and said, "Yes…Feel your emotions at conflict, Rani. That is the basis of the dark side." She then ordered, "Sisters, recite the spell."

As the Nightsisters chanted, tendrils of ichor rose up from the bowls and surrounded Rani. She was then lifted into the air as the snaky mist wrapped around her. The moment the ichor touched her, she began to experience visions.

 _BOOM!_ An explosion.

A poisonous creature lunging.

A high-pitched scream.

A ship crashing.

Nightsisters screaming.

Grievous killing Talzin.

 _"_ _RANI!"_ she heard Grievous's voice shout.

By the time the ritual was done, Rani was on her knees, still dazed from what she had just seen. But at least she no longer felt cold. Well, only a little bit. Rani soon knew that the cold was replaced by emotions she never felt before or only felt in moderation.

Talzin helped Rani get up as she told the girl, "Do you feel the darkness coursing in your veins?"

Though she wished it wasn't true, Rani answered, "Yes."

"Remember my warning: do not let the darkness overcome you, or you will never again be the same person you were before."

Near the _Wanderer_ , Rani nodded her head and said, "Thank you for welcoming me to your village."

Talzin replied, "You were our most honored guest. You have great potential in the Force, young Rani. If you are strong with the light side, think how much stronger you'll be in using the dark side. We will honor whatever choice you make, but know this: our paths will always be linked."

Rani tried to hide her unease as she nodded, "I'll remember that, Mother Talzin. Goodbye." She then climbed into the _Wanderer_ and took off. As she was jumping into hyperspace, she regretted visiting the Nightsisters at all.

When she got home, all she could do was sit on the couch. After a few minutes of processing what had happened, she thought to herself, _Well, I didn't make that trip for nothing._ She decided to calm down and concentrated on her emotions. She had felt anger and pain, but this time, she felt those emotions multiply. They were stronger than they were before. She remembered what Grievous told her about how he saw the Jedi. She imagined herself in his place and suddenly…

 _CRASH!_

She was startled by the sound and looked to see one of her vases on the floor. The porcelain was shattered and water was spilling on the carpet. As Rani went to clean up the mess, she remembered Talzin's words.

 _Think how much stronger you'll be in using the dark side._

The memory sent shivers up Rani's spine. Even if she was half-Diathim, she never wanted to be a dark angel. Suddenly, Rani remembered her wings and rushed upstairs to her bedroom. When she entered the room, she walked towards the vanity. She spread her wings and gasped.

Her wings were no longer cream-colored, but now grayer than their original colors. Rani could hardly believe that she got herself involved with the dark side. She now feared that she had already started on a forbidden road, one she would never return from. She said to herself in shame, "All I wanted was to understand Grievous." As she absorbed her wings and sat on her bed in tears, she remembered another thing Talzin had told her.

 _Love is a blessing and a curse. It can cause us to do things that can be both risky and regrettable._

And this was definitely something Rani regretted - all for the sake of love.


	22. The Attack on Coruscant

"It is my great pleasure to give this award to the person who has shown exceptional compassion to those in need and has done a great number of deeds for both the Naboo and the Gungans alike. Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to present this award to…Rhea Captague!"

There was great applause as Rhea walked towards Senator Padme Amidala and graciously received her award. She spoke to the crowd, "Thank you, everyone. The only reason I help and give to people is because they need it. I am willing to aid any helpless person in any way I can. So, thank you, everyone, and I hope that you will help people, too."

Another round of applause as she went back to her seat. Padme returned to the podium and said, "Thank you for the wonderful speech, Rhea. And now as the winner of the Naboo Humanitarian Award, she and a guest of her choosing will be traveling to Coruscant with me and receive an exclusive tour of the city-planet and the Senate buildings." Wild cheers erupted through the crowd. Rhea was excited, but Rani saw this as an opportunity.

When Rhea told her sister that she won the Naboo Humanitarian Award, Rani was ecstatic for her and went to Naboo to see the ceremony. She recorded the ceremony so that their parents and other family members could see it. Now that she learned that this was a chance to go to Coruscant, she thought that it might also be a chance to meet the Jedi. She wanted desperately to purge the darkness from her being, and while she didn't exactly believe the Jedi were pure, she wanted to talk to them in hopes of being told how to become pure again…or however pure she was prior to her Dathomir visit.

Rani was glad when Rhea picked her sister to go with her to Coruscant. She knew of Rani's distressful situation. Rani was a blubbering mess when she told Rhea about her newly-acquired darkness a month ago. Rhea was shocked to have learned this, but she knew that her sister would never turn completely to the dark side. She wanted to help her sister any way she could, so she thought that going to Coruscant might be fruitful for Rani.

The sisters climbed the royal yacht and set off to Coruscant. Rani, who was in the backmost seat, asked, "Senator Amidala, do you know the Jedi?"

"Well, of course she does, sis!" Rhea admonished her. "They're both in the Republic."

Padme chuckled, "Yes, but I do know a few of the Jedi personally. There's Anakin Skywalker, Ahsoka Tano, Yoda, and Obi-Wan Kenobi."

"Wow!" Rani remarked. "You know Grandmaster Yoda?"

The senator nodded, "Yes."

"Is there any way I can talk to a Jedi?"

"Well, you have to see which ones are free or not. Most of them are busy with the Clone Wars nowadays. But if I can pass a bill that will end the war, I'm sure the Jedi will have more time to talk to you."

Rhea asked, "There's a bill that will end the Clone Wars?"

Padme answered, "Well, it's in the developing stages, but there is a Senate session coming up, so I can propose my bill then."

Rani said, "I hope it works."

"I hope so, too, Rani. I hope so, too."

The yacht arrived on the bustling ecumenopolis. Neither Rani nor Rhea had ever seen anything as alive as the skyscrapers and skylanes of Coruscant. Despite the times they had flown with their wings before, the Captague sisters were nervous about how high they were from the ground. At least, the ground of Level 5127. Nevertheless, the sisters kept a calm and cool composure when an airspeeder took Padme and the girls to the senator's apartment.

When Padme dropped the girls off, she said, "I have to attend the Senate session, so keep yourselves occupied until the tour droid arrives." Before she left, she said to Rani, "Oh, and Rani? I've arranged Master Skywalker to speak with you." She gave a wink and then left.

The Captague sisters were amazed until Rhea remarked, "Skywalker? _The_ Anakin Skywalker?" She squealed, "We might be lucky, sis! We get to talk to Anakin Skywalker!"

Rani asked, "Yes, but what do I tell him about my encounter with the Nightsisters? I can't tell him that I did it for a friend who's involved with the Separatists, and I certainly can't tell him I'm in love with General Grievous."

Rani realized her Freudian slip and looked at Rhea, who had a stunned look. Rhea said, "I _knew_ you had to be in love with him! I just _knew_ it!"

"Wait, you knew?"

"Well, I only guessed it, but I knew that something was going on between you two."

"Yeah, until we had to stop contacting each other."

Rhea wrapped her arm around her sister and said, "I'm sorry, Rani, but your safety comes first and he knew that. He wanted to protect you from being called a traitor."

"And I'm certain he didn't want to be called a traitor, too." Rani realized what she just said and apologized, "Sorry. It's the dark side speaking. Mother Talzin did warn me that I would form new judgments about people I knew."

"You were foolish to even go to Dathomir to begin with."

"Well, I wanted to know what kind of being Grievous really was."

"You're beginning to doubt that Grievous has any good?"

"I _know_ he has good! He risked everything to see me or even talk to me right up to the invasion on Jharona!"

"But you're worried that his love for you might've faded since the incident."

Rani hung her head in defeat and said, "Yes. That's what I fear most of all. It's been so long, Rhea, and I wonder if he loves me still. Nevertheless, I can't get in the way of his war. He has to save his people and war is a tradition on his planet. I can't get in the way of something that makes him happy."

"Wait, wait, wait. That is seriously messed up. If he loves you, then why doesn't he give up the war for you?"

"Mother Talzin asked me the same question and that's why I have darkness in me. While a part of me agrees with you, I don't think he _can_ quit the war just for me. Count Dooku would be suspicious if Grievous suddenly up and left."

"Hmm…You're right. You don't want to endanger his life and he doesn't want to endanger yours. Huh. Guess you two really do care for each other."

Rani smiled at the thought. Suddenly, the doors opened and Anakin Skywalker appeared.

He asked in a charming tone, "You're the Captague sisters, I assume?"

The girls couldn't help but be flattered by his way of asking. Rhea nodded, "I'm Rhea Captague and this is my sister, Rani. She's the one who wanted to speak with you."

Anakin looked at Rani and said with a half-smile, "I see." He turned to Rhea and said, "Congratulations on the award, Rhea. You look like someone who could give help when needed."

Rani said, "Master Skywalker, you are a Jedi. Do you sense Force-sensitives much?"

He answered, "Well, only when they make it obvious. When they mask it well, it makes it hard to detect. You, on the other hand, emit a strong presence for one adept in the Force."

The girls were surprised that he knew just by feeling Rani's energy that she was Force-sensitive. Rani asked, "So you know?"

Anakin nodded, "Pretty much. I'm just surprised that you weren't brought into the Temple when you were young. The Jedi Code says you must be an infant to begin training as a Jedi. I, however, was an exception. They didn't find me till I was almost ten."

Rhea said, "Well, that's just it. We grew up somewhere in the Outer Rim and that might've been why the Jedi couldn't find Rani."

Anakin put a finger to his chin and continued, "You know, there are Force-sensitives who are not Jedi or Sith. They can be many things, or their potential can go unnoticed at all. If Rani's Force energy is any indication, she has been practicing her Force skills." He then asked Rani, "What kind of things do you do with them?"

She answered, "Well, I use the Force for making healing potions and I practice spells for light magic."

"Well, that makes me glad you're not involved with the Nightsisters."

Rani said uneasily, "Funny you should say that. I met the Nightsisters a month ago."

Anakin crossed his arms and said, "Well, this should be interesting."

Rani explained, "Okay, I…I was…curious about how the Nightsisters practiced dark-side magic. I visited Dathomir and showed the Nightsisters I was Force-sensitive. They took me to their village and imbued me with all the darkness I needed. I regret it now and I want to know how I can purge the darkness in me."

Anakin stayed silent for about half a minute before he said, "I'm afraid it's not that simple, Rani. The Force is split into clean absolutes: light and dark. All of us have both inside ourselves. The kind of person you really are depends on which path you take, be it the dark side or the light."

"I'm a good person, really. I just got too curious for my own good. If I can't purge the darkness, then how do I tame it?"

"Remember all that is good. You may not have been raised a Jedi, but if you had been, I'd say you'd be one who'd make Obi-Wan proud."

Just then, the doors opened and a tour droid appeared. It said, "Excuse me. I am here to take the girls on a tour of Coruscant."

Anakin rose and said, "Of course." He smiled at the girls, "I think you're going to love seeing Coruscant. Have fun on the tour."

The girls waved as he left, "Good-bye, Master Skywalker. Thank you."

The tour droid took the Captague sisters all around Level 5127 of Coruscant. It didn't take them to the underworld because it was prohibited. Despite that, Rani and Rhea thought everything was beautiful. Shiny, yes. Synthetic, maybe. But it was spectacular all the same.

Next, the droid took the girls to the Senate Office Building. The offices were closed, so they just walked around every floor. Nix Card's office, however, drew Rani's attention. As they were walking by, something had caught Rani's ear.

 _"_ _Gentlemen, the Banking Clan and Trade Federation are about business, not violence."_

She knew that though the door was closed, she was hearing this conversation for a reason. She stepped back and heard the conversation without opening the door.

 _"_ _Hmm. In this case, our business is violence."_

Just then, Rhea noticed this and motioned for Rani to stop whatever she was doing and join her and the droid.

 _"_ _Precisely. With or without Senator Amidala, the Galactic Senate is unlikely to deregulate the banks until this war hits home."_

Rani refused. She knew it was important. Rhea knew that the look in Rani's eyes signaled something urgent.

 _"_ _What exactly are you proposing?"_

At Rani's silent insistence, Rhea went back to the droid so no suspicion was aroused. Rani turned her full attention back to the conversation.

The first voice said, _"Perhaps some unexpected bloodshed on Coruscant may change a few minds."_

The second voice said, _"Coruscant? Coruscant has not been attacked in over 1,000 years."_

 _"_ _Then it has a false sense of security. There are some powerful clients on the other side who could help us, shall we say, make the point."_

Rani heard a third voice say, _"I like this plan."_

The first voice said, _"No one cares what you think."_

When Rani heard footfalls, she knew she had to get the heck out of there. She rushed down the hallway as quickly as she could before the door opened. Luckily, she had escaped without attracting the attention of the conspirators.

Rani couldn't say a word to her sister until they got back to Padme's apartment. When they returned to the lobby, Rani said, "Rhea, back at the Senate Office Building, I think I overheard a conspiracy."

Rhea asked, "Is that why you wanted to listen in? I knew it was important, but if what you say is true, then it's _very_ important."

"I know Senator Nix Card is in on it, but I want to know who the other two were."

"There were three?"

Rani nodded, "Mm-hmm. When I was listening in, I thought I heard the words 'Banking Clan' and 'Trade Federation'."

Rhea got her datapad out and looked up the senators of the two companies Rani mentioned. She managed to find Nix Card under 'Banking Clan'. When she searched for 'Trade Federation', she found Lott Dodd's name associated with it.

She pointed to the pictures of the senators and said, "I think these are the ones you overheard."

"But I want to know who the third one was."

"Well, I think there's another company whose alliance is a little shaky." Rhea tapped into her datapad and showed a picture of an Ishi Tib senator and the words "Techno Union". She said, "This is Gume Saam, senator for the Techno Union. They've been known for their mechanical expertise."

Rani's eyes widened and she remarked, "Wait, that's the same company Grievous said he got his cybernetics from!"

Rhea said, "Ah…My guess is that they're leaning more towards the Separatists than they are to neutrality. What exactly did the senators say when you overheard them?"

"Well, they said that Coruscant hadn't been attacked in over 1,000 years, so they were going to try to bring the war here."

"Uh-oh."

"Major uh-oh."

"We have to warn Senator Amidala."

Rhea tried to call Padme's office, but a voicemail said, _"This is Senator Amidala. I am busy at the moment, but I will contact you as soon as possible. Thank you."_

Rani said, "Oh, great. Now what?"

Rhea shrugged, "I guess we wait till she gets back. Unless you want to inform the Chancellor himself."

Rani shook her head, "He'll accuse me of treason. Besides, I don't even know when Coruscant is going to be attacked."

"Well, how about informing the Jedi Council?"

"I don't think they'd allow us in."

"Well, we might not have any other choice but to just wait here."

"I suppose we have to."

The girls waited and ate the supper that was cooked up by Padme's cook droid. Then, in the dark of night, the lights suddenly went out.

Rani said, "Oh, no…"

The Captague sisters ran to the window and saw that the entire planet was having a blackout.

Rhea said, "The attack is starting!"

Rani scanned the sky and said, "But where is the air strike?"

 _BOOM!_

The Captague sisters looked down and saw an explosion in one of the suburbs. Then they saw another one and another one.

Rhea breathed, "Saboteurs…"

By the time Padme Amidala returned to her apartment, she was weary with shock, disbelief, and heartache.

Rhea asked, "What happened, Senator?"

Padme sighed as she sat down, "There's been a Separatist attack. The power generator was bombed and it led to a blackout. But I don't understand. I spoke with an old friend of mine to negotiate a peace treaty with the Separatists. Surely she couldn't have orchestrated this attack."

At that moment, Rani wanted to tell her what she had heard at the Senate Office Building, but she dared not upset the senator. Instead, she said, "Maybe there were others who wanted to keep the war going."

Padme firmly nodded, "Yes, that's what I believe, too. Senator Bonteri would never do such a thing as this. It had to be Count Dooku. He…"

She paused as she looked at the girls. All frustration melted from her face as she sighed, "I'm sorry, girls. It's just that we were so close to ending the war, and it slipped through the cracks."

Rhea didn't want the senator to cry, so she comforted her, "I know how much ending the Clone Wars means to you, but that doesn't mean there isn't another way to negotiate a peace treaty. Maybe another chance will come along."

Padme smiled and nodded, "You're right, Rhea. Maybe there will be another chance to end the war peacefully." She then sighed, "I'm sorry this trip didn't turn out so well."

Rhea said, "That's all right. If you want, maybe Rani and I can stay on Coruscant for a while to help the civilians affected by the attack."

Padme flashed a hopeful but hesitant smile. She said, "It would be most generous of you and your sister, but are you sure you won't mind?"

Rani chimed, "Of course! We're all about helping people in times of need."

Padme said, "Thank you. Thank you both so much." She put her hands on each girl's shoulder and continued, "We are very grateful to have angels like you helping in this crisis."

When Padme's eyes weren't on either of them, the sisters exchanged uneasy looks about being identified as "angels". The way Padme worded it, she was calling them something she didn't even know they actually were.

Rani, however, was glad that she would be aiding the citizens tomorrow. She hoped that it might whittle away the darkness she had in her.


	23. Confrontation

That night, Rani had the most peculiar dream…only this seemed too real to even _be_ a dream. She saw visions of cleaner droids morphing into attack droids. They shot every workman in quick succession. When each pair of droids attached to one another, timers was beeping. Rani was shocked by the vision of the explosion of the power generator, but it didn't startle her awake.

The vision then flashed to a train terminal. Rani recognized the sweeper droids as the ones that bombed the generator. The red eye of one of the droids blinked and then emitted a hologram.

Rani gasped at the identity of the caller.

 _"_ _Team leaders, come in."_ General Grievous then coughed before continuing, _"Commence Phase 2. Proceed with high-security infiltration."_

Rani's heart dropped then and there at the disturbing development. She couldn't believe that he would agree to carry out the attack, but Rani knew it to be true. When one of the conspirators mentioned turning to "powerful clients on the other side", she had a bad feeling that her beloved was one of them. Still, she needed to make sure that Grievous really was involved…even if it meant contacting him again.

The next morning, the Captague sisters went to the CoCo Town neighborhood and helped the victims by doing a food drive. There were a few other volunteers, but the girls were in the backroom of Dex's Diner.

Dexter Jettster called out to the girls, "I think it's really sweet of you young ladies to help out with this. Say, how long do you think you'll be here?"

Rhea answered, "Right up until this whole crisis is over."

The Besalisk chuckled, "I like your spunk, girls. Keep it up!"

As soon as Dexter left, Rani said to Rhea, "Rhea, I think I know at least one being who helped coordinate the attack."

Rhea didn't like the sound of that and said, "Uh-oh. Do I dare ask who it is?"

"Well, it was only a dream, but I have to know for sure."

"Just what exactly did you see in your dream?"

Rani could only barely remember most of her dreams, but with those laced with visions, she remembered them as clear as a bell.

She took a deep breath and answered, "I saw sweeper droids becoming…I don't know, fighter droids. They weren't battle droids. These were different. Then I saw them locking down into pairs and then blowing up the power generator. I saw the explosion with my own eyes. Well, my dream eyes, anyway.

"So then, the vision changed to the sweeper droids at a train terminal. One of them emitted a hologram of Grievous. He told them to commence Phase 2 and proceed with infiltration."

Rhea stood silent for a moment before shaking her head and saying, "Rani…I don't know what to tell you."

"I'm sure he thought I wouldn't be here. Besides, Count Dooku or Nix Card probably told him to do it. It's all a part of warfare, remember?"

"Still, you should check up with him just to be sure, though I strongly advise against calling him again." She sighed and continued, "Look, sis, this isn't easy for me to say, but maybe you two should move on."

Rani was heartbroken to hear that, but she said, "If we do, I want to see him one more time, just for closure."

Rhea shrugged, "Hey. You never know when the Force will bring the two of you together again."

Dex's voice called out, "Girls! We need to bring more boxes out here!"

Both girls called to him, "Coming!" They each grabbed a box and rushed out the door.

 ** _I had not anticipated a code from Rani, especially right after the attack on Coruscant. When I saw the code "362", I knew it had to be urgent. To be honest, I was a bit worried since this was just after I sent the infiltrator droids to sabotage the power generator. Still, I hoped that it would involve another matter, so I typed back the code for "Rendezvous". When I saw the numbers 612, I knew it meant "Kipla's moon"._**

Grievous rushed over there as soon as he could and saw the _Wanderer_ waiting in the clearing. When he jumped out of his starfighter, he embraced Rani and asked, "Is there something wrong, dearest?"

Rani found it difficult to say, but she asked, "Did you know there was an attack on Coruscant?"

 ** _Uh-oh._**

Grievous was admittedly surprised by the question. He then answered hesitantly, "Yes. Why should that be of any concern to you?"

"They say it was a Separatist attack. Were you involved?"

"Why is that important right now?"

Rani sighed as she admitted, "Because…I was on Coruscant."

Grievous was considerably outraged and shocked to hear this. He shot out, "You said you were neutral! And now you're changing sides?!"

She held out her hands in an attempt to calm him and pleaded, "No, no, no! Please, hear me out. Rhea won a trip to Coruscant and she wanted me to go with her."

"Why did you accept? Coruscant is nothing but a hive of Republic scum and those treacherous Jedi!"

"The only scum I saw were the traitors who called for the attack."

Grievous was surprised to hear this and asked, "But how could you have possibly known about that?"

"I…reached out into the Force when I was passing by Nix Card's office. I overheard the conspiracy, but I was powerless to stop the plot in its tracks."

"Why were you on Coruscant in the first place?"

"Okay, long story short: I met a group called the Nightsisters a month ago. Since then, I've been maintaining the balance between dark and light. I wanted to meet the Jedi to see what the light side of the Force was like, so I jumped at the chance to go to Coruscant."

Grievous scoffed, "Why would you want to involve yourself with the Jedi? They are just treacherous scum bound to serve their precious Republic."

"The Jedi may have been responsible for what happened to your people, but didn't you provoke them by waging war with them? I think you might be accountable for some of those actions."

Grievous was truly provoked by this and shouted, "Accountable?! I, General Grievous, accountable for my actions?! You haven't lived through what I had to! The Jedi were responsible for the genocide! You are blind to their evil deeds! You are too trusting for your own good."

"If I wasn't trusting enough, then I'd be no better than either the Republic of the Separatists!"

His eyes then narrowed and he said, "Do you want to know if I was involved in the attack on Coruscant?" He grabbed Rani by the shirt and answered, "Yes! I was! I made them pay by sending demolition droids to the power generator!"

"But you and Dooku sabotaged any chance of a peace treaty now!"

"You simplistic fool! A peace treaty will not right the wrongs the Jedi have committed against my people, against me! If you are so willing to think otherwise about them, then you can join them!"

He then tossed her to the ground and she looked up with tears in her eyes. A part of him pained from seeing such a pitiful sight, but his anger would not subside.

Rani shakily breathed as tears poured down her face, "Everything I did was for you…" Her voice then choked as she said, "And I would be willing to give up so much more for our love."

The words flew out of Grievous's vocabulator faster than he thought them, "What love is there left? We can never be together, Rani. Just accept that."

Rani could hardly believe what she was hearing. She began crying as she ran into the jungle. With so much hurt roiling in his chest, Grievous just turned back towards his starfighter.

 ** _I didn't care to look behind as I headed back towards the_** **Soulless One** ** _. Right now, all I wanted to do was leave. When I reached my starfighter, however…_**

 _"_ _AAAAHHH!"_

 ** _I knew screams of anger from screams of distress, and this was definitely one of distress._**

On instinct, Grievous rushed into the jungle, and within a meter or two, his heart stopped as did his running. He looked at the ground and found Rani lying unconscious and growing pale. His eyes then flickered to two deadly kouhuns. He ignited his lightsaber and slashed the creatures in half. He felt adrenaline and fear rising in his throat as he picked up Rani and ran out of the jungle. When he got to the clearing, he set her down and checked every exposed skin. His worst fears were confirmed when he saw the sting marks a kouhun left on her ankle.

 ** _She doesn't have much time…_**

Immediately, he set her inside the pilot's seat of the _Wanderer_ and opened the transport's trunk. He searched for a first-aid kit and hoped that an anti-toxin was in it. Along with the first-aid kit and, thankfully, anti-toxin, he also found a vocal emulator shaped like a rod. He knew that one had to make calls to the hospital, but thankfully, no holograms were required. Still, he didn't want to be recognized for calling, so he knew he had to impersonate Rani. After tending her wound and hopefully giving her time, he plugged in the vocal emulator to the control panel, pressed the command that said "Rani", and contacted the nearest hospital to Kipla's moon.

When an operator's voice came on, he asked, _"This is Polis Massa Base. What is your emergency?"_

Grievous then spoke into the vocal emulator and his words were repeated in Rani's voice simultaneously to the operator. He knew the operator would only hear Rani's voice.

He told the operator and acted frail for emphasis, "I've been stung by a kouhun." He then pretended to be gasping, "I'm on…Kipla's moon…Please…come quickly…" He almost coughed, but managed to stifle it. Gasping wasn't good for his lungs.

The operator asked, _"How recent is the sting?"_

Grievous was irritated by this, but he acted to be weaker when he responded through the emulator, "Only about a couple of minutes ago."

 _"_ _Did you apply first-aid?"_

Grievous did everything he could not to lash out right now. He contained his anger and responded, "Yes, I have."

 _"_ _What anti-toxin have you used?"_

Grievous pulled the emulator away from his mask and groaned as he face-palmed.

 ** _Do I really have time for this right now?_**

He decided to take desperate measures and said in a weak voice, "I don't think…I can really talk right now…I think I…I might be fainting…" He then dropped the emulator to make it seem like Rani had fainted.

He unplugged the emulator as the operator asked more urgently, _"Miss? Miss?!"_

Grievous felt like he did his part and left Rani in the _Wanderer_. Before he did, however, he gave her one last kiss on the forehead as if he might never see her again. He then climbed into his starfighter, filled with regret over the argument they had before she was stung.

 ** _Victims of a kouhun sting usually had minutes to live…I dearly hoped that Rani would be an exception._**

 ** _When I returned to my lair, I was so distracted by the events on Kipla's moon. I didn't know I was shaking until A4-D told me. I sat down in my chair in the control room, hoping to calm down my frayed nerves. It was then that I remembered something._**

Grievous told A4-D, "Doctor, bring out the information retrieved from the R3 unit."

 ** _It had never been looked at since it was retrieved from R3's memory banks. I thought I could distract myself from worrying about Rani. I did not know if she was even alive or not! I doubt I would ever find out._**

Grievous then pulled up the information about the Captagues. He scanned the files, which read "Captague History", "Profits and Clients", "Friends, Enemies, and Rivals", "Birthdays and Other Important Dates"…

A4-D asked, "Master?"

Grievous turned back and said, "What?"

The cyborg accidentally pressed a button and a screen flashed up. He growled, "Look what you made me do!"

He looked back to see the top of the screen say "MEDICAL HISTORY". He was about to go back to the main screen until his eyes caught Rani's name. He knew that the information hadn't been updated since it was copied from R3's databanks, but he hoped to see whether or not it would say if Rani was still alive or not.

 ** _I should never have looked…_**

He pressed some buttons and a new screen opened, showcasing Rani's medical files. The list of files read "Allergies", "Surgeries", "Vaccines", "Medication", and…

 ** _What?!_**

Immediately, he quickly typed on the control board and fear began to overwhelm him as he opened the file that said "Autoimmune Calciphylaxis". He knew it couldn't be good. He read the following:

AGE OF DIAGNOSIS: 6 MONTHS OLD

PRACTITIONER: DR. M.P. WELLS

BASIC INFORMATION: AUTOIMMUNE CALCIPHYLAXIS IS A DISORDER FOUND MOSTLY IN HUMANOID HYBRIDS. WHEN INFECTED OR INJURED, WHITE BLOOD CELL COUNT RISES, THUS CALCIFYING THE INSIDES. USUALLY TREATED WITH PRESCRIBED MEDICATION AND TREATMENT SUITABLE FOR SAID SICKNESS OR INJURY.

Grievous was in shock of this and tried to process it all.

 ** _Prescribed medication? I did not see it in Rani's transport! Why did she not bring it with her? Unless…I'm such an idiot! How could I have overlooked it completely?! If I knew Rani, she would have brought it with her at all times!_**

 ** _I felt so stupid! She had less time than I thought she did…and it was all my fault. She was probably dead by now. And it was all my fault._**

"Master?"

Grievous waved off his doctor droid and said in a voice devoid of any strength, "Leave me in peace, Doctor. I wish to be alone right now."

When A4-D left, Grievous put his head in his hands and lost himself in his thoughts.

 ** _Rani…I never got the chance to say good-bye. I love you too much. Please…forgive me…_**

Without Grievous's acknowledgment, a tear rolled down his mask.


	24. Saving Love

**_Over the next few months, I tried to occupy myself with every battle I was in. I tried to pretend that Rani was dead now and would no longer distract me from the war, but it only made me more miserable. I couldn't help but hope that by some miracle, Rani managed to survive. I was so conflicted by my emotions that I hardly kept my head straight. Count Dooku himself seemed suspicious of it, but thankfully, he dismissed it as my anxiety about my people and getting revenge on all of the Jedi. To be truthful, Rani was more important than slaying Jedi and collecting their lightsabers. Though it was still my goal to see every last Republic scum fall, none of it mattered more than Rani._**

 ** _My pain over the incident nearly showed when I nearly cried sometimes. I had to hold in my tears for the sake of my image and my morale. I couldn't cry now. Not in the middle of war. I didn't know which was more painful: letting out my tears or not crying at all. To me, it was excruciating all the same._**

 ** _How could I have let love do this to me? How could I have opened my heart to her, especially when I may have now lost her forever? I had to keep it together…Just keep it together…_**

Every battle now exhausted Grievous. When he retreated back to his lair this time, however, it was all he could take. He had to know. He prepared himself for whatever answer would be given to him. Whether or not Rani was still alive, he would cry all the same.

He told A4-D, "Doctor, contact-"

The general's sentence was cut short when the transceiver beeped. As A4-D put the transmission through, Grievous closed his eyes and prayed, _Please don't let it be Dooku. Please don't let it be Dooku._

"Qymaen?"

Grievous's eyes flew open at the sound of the voice and saw his sister's hologram. He asked in astonishment, "Rashi? How did you get ahold of me?"

Rashi answered, "Your name was on the contact list in Rani's transport."

Grievous was even more surprised as he exclaimed, "Rani's transport?!" He scowled and asked in a demanding tone, "Where are you?!"

"I'm on Kalee. I never left."

This confused and surprised Grievous more. He asked, "Then why is-?"

"Look, there isn't much time. Rani is on Kalee and may be dying. She pricked herself on a poisonous plant a while ago. We've used the medication for her calciphylaxis and our remedies, but she doesn't seem to be healing. Can you come to Kalee at once?"

Grievous nodded before he rushed out of his chair, "I'm on my way right now! I'll call you when I'm in hyperspace!"

As Grievous ran, A4-D asked, "Master, is Rani-?"

"No time, Doctor! I have to get to her immediately!"

He jumped into the _Soulless One_ and entered the coordinates of the last planet he'd ever expected to revisit: Kalee. He flew out of the hangar and jumped into hyperspace. On one hand, Grievous was exhilarated that Rani had been alive all this time. On the other hand, though, he was upset that she was in the same precarious situation as months before. Above all, he was worried that Rani might not make it this time.

He contacted Rashi again and asked, "How is Rani?"

"She's stable, though we don't know for how much longer."

"Tell me everything."

"Well, when Rani brought me home, we were greeted by the _Klomatsen._ Rani saw our situation and decided to give us supplies and other essentials. She even brought some luxuries to share with us."

Grievous was touched to hear that Rani had been helping his people. He asked Rashi, "How long has this been going on?"

"Since she brought me back to Kalee. She's been doing this every two or three weeks. You are lucky to have known her, Qymaen. She is a very good person. We decided to repay the favor by acquainting her with the rest of the Kaleesh and teaching her our customs. I know we don't normally do this for outsiders, but most of us feel that we can trust her."

"What do you mean 'most'?"

"There are some who are skeptical of her true intentions. They think she is too friendly for an outsider. They have theories that she is plotting something against us."

"And the shamans? What do they think of Rani?"

"Well, they are in the middle ground about this. They're saying that she can be trusted, but at the same time, they sense a new darkness in her."

"A darkness?"

"Yes. Before, they were open with her, but now they are wary about this shift in her Force energy."

"Rashi, I know why Rani has a darkness in her. The last time we met, she told me she visited the Nightsisters a month prior. She never told me why."

A tone of concern grew in Rashi's voice as she said, "Qymaen, you don't suppose she's affiliating herself with them?"

Grievous retorted sharply, "Now why would she do that?! She's never hurt anyone out of malice!" Just then, a realization hit Grievous. "But she did tell me that she was willing to give up so much for our love."

 ** _Oh, no. What if she meant her good nature? Then she would've been as lost to me as if she had died! I had to save her. I had to know._**

Grievous then arrived over Kalee. A mix of emotions rose in his chest, from joy to sorrow to shame.

 ** _Home sweet home. I honestly thought I'd never see Kalee again. What would the people say about me when I returned? Whatever I imagined their reaction to have been, I did not expect it to be another._**

Grievous landed in his home village and emerged from his starfighter. Much to his surprise, crowds of Kaleesh cheered and rushed to see their returning champion. They spoke in their native dialect:

"Khagan Sheelal!"

"He has returned home!"

"I cannot believe it is truly him!"

"Is it really him?"

"He has changed so much since we last saw him!"

Just then, a bolkla horn sounded out, causing the sea of Kaleesh natives to part. Grievous's eyes widened when he saw a familiar group. A Kaleesh female ran to him with open arms and embraced him.

She said, " _Yomacken!_ My son! You have returned at last!"

Grievous, though still stunned by this, returned the hug and said, "I have, _kokama._ I have returned."

He then saw Rashi and some of his brothers, sisters, and their children walk up to him. After the happy reunion among family members, Rashi held Grievous's hands and said, "I'm glad you came when you did."

Grievous then remembered why he came back to Kalee in the first place. He told Rashi, "Take me to her."

His family escorted him to one of the ziggurat-like buildings that had one floor. He parted the curtain and found himself stunned at the sight before him. Rani was lying still on the bed, all pale with some brown spots.

Grievous walked slowly towards his beloved as Makeeyla, his mother, told him, "She is still alive, but only barely. Honestly, I do not think she has much time left."

He whipped his head back in anger and said, "Then why didn't you take her to a hospital the very moment she became ill?!"

Though his family was taken aback by his sudden anger, Rashi answered, "She is neutral. We're Separatists. If any one of us took her to a Separatist hospital, then they would assume that Rani is not neutral at all."

Jushida, Grievous's younger sister, said, "And if we tried to take her anyplace else, they would not admit Rani because of our affiliation."

Grievous stood silent for a moment until he sighed and kneeled by Rani's bedside. He told his family, "I would like to have some time alone with Rani…" Though he could barely get the words out, he continued, "…before it's too late."

His family complied and left him and Rani in peace. Grievous put his antenna to her chest and could barely hear her heartbeat, but he was grateful it was even there.

He sighed as he put both of Rani's hands in his, "Rani…dearest…I don't know if you can hear me, but…I am very sorry that our last conversation was…harsh, to say the least. I was so angry that I lost faith in our relationship almost entirely. I was ready to give up on you, but when you got stung, I found that I could not even live without you. Not a day passed when I didn't think about you or wonder if you even survived." He gave a chuckle and continued, "I'm surprised you even did at all. Even with your medical condition…"

He never forgot that day. The day he found out about her calciphylaxis. It brought so much shock and pain and added to his worry about Rani's state of living. Why did he care so much about her? She would've meant nothing to him if she didn't care so much about him, or if she wasn't willing to risk so much for them, or even if she was just human.

The thought then struck him.

 ** _She was only half-human. Her family…The Diathim could possibly heal her! But I knew the risks all too well. To bring Rani to Millius Prime meant exposing the angels to my people. But it was a risk I had to take. After all, it was what Rani would've done in my place._**

Grievous assigned a couple of Kaleesh healers to watch over and tend to Rani in the trunk of the _Wanderer_ while Rashi herself drove the transport. Fortunately, Rashi had experience as a chauffeur to some of her masters when she was a slave. Grievous only told his people that he knew of healers who might heal Rani. He was careful to not say anything about the identity of the healers, but he told Rashi to set coordinates for Millius Prime. She was confused, but did not question her brother's orders. She just followed his starfighter and jumped into hyperspace with him.

Rashi spoke to Grievous's hologram, "These healers must be very skilled if they live in the Iego system."

Grievous told her, "Trust me, _brischaka_ , they were able to cure me of a dangerous illness I contracted a year or two ago."

"Oh. Well, that is good news. Let's just hope there is a chance for Rani."

They then arrived at Millius Prime. Rashi was in awe of the moon when she first saw it. When they descended, they had to navigate through heavy clouds to reach Rani's village. It was much different than Grievous remembered. What he had always seen as a heavenly paradise was now drenched by a dismal rainfall.

He jumped out of the _Soulless One_ and walked over to the _Wanderer_ just as the mass of angels began to come out. Rashi gasped as she emerged, "Qymaen! They're…angels!"

"Yes, Rashi. They certainly are."

Rashi continued to gasp in amazement, "I cannot believe I'm seeing this with my own eyes! I'm actually seeing angels! Angels, Qymaen!"

"Sheelal!" a voice called from the trunk.

Grievous raced over to the now-open trunk and saw the Kaleesh healers carrying Rani's cot.

One of the healers said regretfully, "I think we might be too late."

In that moment, Grievous's whole world halted. He couldn't believe it. Was this really happening? A flood of emotions filled him after the initial shock.

He breathed, "No…No…" He then shouted at the healers, "Why didn't you save her?!"

Just then, another voice shouted, "Rani!"

Grievous turned to see Cassell and Aurora rushing up to the transport. The healers then turned the cot towards the parents and Cassell examined his still daughter.

Cassell, beside himself with grief, choked in anguish, "No…Rani…" He then glared at Grievous with glistening eyes and said, "What did you do to her?!"

Grievous tried to answer, but no words came out. Rashi answered for her brother, "Rani was on Kalee when she got pricked by a poisonous plant. We used her medication and our remedies, but they only did so little. Our Kaleesh remedies only work for the natives, not humans."

Aurora explained, "Only Rani wasn't human. She was half-Diathim. I know because I'm her mother." She put her hand on her daughter and said, "She's still alive, but she may not survive for long without treatment. We must get her inside."

The Diathim then ushered the Kaleesh inside and interrogated them about what happened on Kalee. Grievous felt uncomfortable sitting in the house when he knew that he was unwanted by some, if not just Rani's father. When he thought about Rani, he knew that she'd definitely not want to see him when – _if_ – she awoke. After all, she had run from him when he told her they could no longer be together.

 ** _Then so be it. The minute the rain would stop, I was going to leave Millius Prime and never look back._**


	25. A Bond Mended

As soon as the rain stopped and Grievous got the news that Rani was going to be okay, he walked right towards his starfighter. Just then, he saw a Naboo starship descending from the sky. He recognized it as Rhea's and waited until it landed before he continued toward the _Soulless One._

 _ **Another finger to point at me, no doubt.**_

 ****Rhea was genuinely surprised to see Grievous when she got out of her vehicle. Choosing her words carefully, she said, "Grievous! I didn't know you were still here."

"Actually, I was just leaving."

"Leaving? Why?"

"Let's just say that I'm not wanted here anymore."

"But what about Rani? She'd want to see you."

Grievous scoffed, "Why should she? I told her we could never be together the last time we met."

"She told me about that."

Grievous was surprised to hear this and asked, "You know?"

Rhea nodded, "Mm-hmm. She called from the hospital on Polis Massa Base after she got stung by a kouhun. She was so heartbroken, Grievous. You should've heard her when she told me about your…outburst and what you told her. You're practically her first love."

Grievous shook his head, "She needs to find someone else."

Rhea was hesitant to say it, but she knew it was the right thing to do. She told Grievous, "No, she won't. She won't be happy with anyone else but you. Her heartstone led her straight to you. You two were obviously meant for each other. If she doesn't care what others say about you two, then neither should you." She found it difficult to say the next sentence, but continued, "And if…you both die for your love, then it's better than spending the rest of your lives apart."

Grievous asked, "Then why would she involve herself with me? I'm putting her in danger."

Rhea shrugged, "Maybe you should just ask her yourself. She might be up."

Grievous felt conflicted at that moment. He felt the urge to see Rani, but at the same time, why should this even continue? What point is there in all of this? True, there were some questions that needed answering, and if he was never going to see her again, he might as well ask now.

He sighed, "All right. I'll see her, but this will be the last time."

Rhea felt saddened that Rani was going to be heartbroken for the rest of her life, but she felt content that her sister was going to see her beloved again, if for the last time.

Grievous walked up the stairs and went to Rani's bedroom. He remembered that he stayed there when he was recovering from the Blue Shadow Virus. He mustered every bit of strength to overcome his fear and doubt and enter Rani's room. When he saw his beloved, she was still a little bit pale, but it was significantly less than when she was in critical condition. He saw that despite this, life had returned to her small body.

Rani asked in surprise, "Grievous?"

Grievous stepped into the room as he said, "Yes, Rani. It is I."

"Mom told me that you brought me here when you found out I got poisoned…again."

"Does she know about what happened on Kipla's moon?"

"Well, only part of it. She doesn't know I got stung and nearly died upon arriving at the hospital."

"You nearly died?"

"Yeah, but luckily, they were able to save my life. They told me about how I called them before I fainted. I assume that you did that."

Grievous nodded as he kneeled by her bedside, "Yes, that was me. I used a vocal emulator to sound like you when I called the hospital. I also tended to your sting mark and gave you more time." Grievous sighed as he shook his head as he remembered what happened afterwards, "Oh, Rani…I thought you were going to die."

Rani put her hand on his and said, "But I survived, didn't I?"

Grievous chuckled and put his hand on hers, "Yes, you did. Rani, Rashi told me you were helping my people by giving them food and supplies. I cannot be more enthused to hear of your precious deeds for them. What you did for them…means so much to me. Thank you."

Rani smiled, "You're welcome."

"I was also wondering something. You said you visited the Nightsisters. Rashi said the shamans sensed a new darkness in you. Is there an explanation for it?"

Rani nodded sadly and said, "Yeah…I visited the Nightsisters because I couldn't understand why you were carrying out acts of vengeance. I get your reasoning, but I didn't understand why you act the way you do towards the Jedi. I mean, what emotions could possibly motivate you to do such terrible things? I knew that the dark side was fueled by emotions like yours, so I had some darkness imbued in me to truly understand your actions. Now it seems like I got more than I bargained for.

"My wings are now a dull gray and I can't get rid of the darkness. The best advice I'd been given was to live with it, but not let it control me. So, you see? What I did at that moment was for you. I wanted to understand the kind of person you really were."

Grievous then stood up and said, "Don't you see, Rani? _This_ is who I really am. I had been wronged by the Jedi and I am better than they could ever hope to be. I can't believe I've been foolish to even think that you could ever love me, even after what I did to you."

Rani was astonished to hear this and said, "I could care less about your actions. It's your words, your feelings that matter most to me. I love you regardless of who you are. Under any other circumstances, there'd be no other being I would rather marry other than you."

Grievous was surprised to hear the word "marry".

 ** _Would she? Would she really marry me if I wasn't one of the galaxy's most notorious killers? I found this hard to believe, but I had to trust that Rani's words were true._**

He then said, "But I am a war criminal. Surely you wouldn't want to marry someone like me."

"If you die in the war, I'll never marry. I will be in love with no one else but you. I will never forget you or every cherished moment we spent together. It will forever be my most precious secret. I've been foolish to even go the Nightsisters in the first place.

"I should've known that your anger and resentment didn't make up your entire identity. I just wanted to understand you better. You may have your faults, but you are not really the bad guy everyone sees you as. I know the real you, and I love you for that."

"But would you…marry me? Especially in a time of war?"

"Yes, if you would have me."

Grievous shook his head and said, "No. No, it cannot happen. I won't let you jeopardize your well-being for me. Our love cannot be worth it."

Rani nodded sadly and said, "I understand." She then began to weep and said, "Just know that I will never hate you, for this or your war crimes. Others can't make me hate you. I won't let my darkness make me hate you. Even you can't make me hate you."

Grievous hated to see her cry, so he put his hand on hers again and said, "I don't want you to hate me. Besides my family, you're the only one who truly cares about me. I thought my people hated me when I brought the massacre to Kalee. I must confess that I accept partial responsibility for what happened to them. I was just so resentful at the Jedi for denying me everything I wanted: love, honor…worth. I'd do anything to make them pay…" He then balled his hand into a fist. "…but to be honest, the Jedi are worthless compared to you."

He relaxed his hand and continued, "I may want a future without them, but I can never imagine a future without you. Ever since you got stung, I fretted over whether you survived or not. I didn't know for sure until now. Seeing you here alive and well right now…" He sighed, "It fills my heart with joy."

Rani calmed down and asked, "Does this mean you love me still? Because ever since we stopped contacting each other, I was worried that you stopped loving me. That I became just another girl in the galaxy."

"But you're not just another girl. You're one-of-a-kind, Rani. You are an angel. Well, a _half-_ angel, technically. What I'm trying to say is that I never stopped loving you. You mean too much to me."

"I'm relieved to hear that. I thought that you hated me now."

Grievous leaned over Rani's bedside and put his arm across her bed. He said, "Don't say that. I could never hate you. I was just angry because you went to Coruscant and met the Jedi."

"I know. It was insensitive of me. Though the Jedi have some flaws and their history with you is not so good, they fight for the light side. I just wanted their opinion."

"Well, what did they tell you?"

"I only met one Jedi and he said that I couldn't purge the darkness within me."

"Probably because the Jedi have darkness within themselves and they cannot see it."

"That may be true, but this Jedi told me that the Force was split into clean absolutes, the light and the dark. He also told me that everyone had a bit of both inside them. It was only by choice that one could follow either side."

"Could someone be both?"

"I don't think so. I think it's one or the other. Your opinion about the Jedi may not be wrong, but…do you really need to follow the path of war to satisfy your desires?"

Grievous shot back, "Of course I do! It's the only way I can annihilate the Jedi!"

"Look, what I'm trying to say is that both the Republic and Separatists are guilty for even participating in the war. Both sides think evil of their opponents. That's one reason why I'm neutral to the war."

"What about your sister? She lives on a Republic-affiliated world. What does she think of the war?"

"I think I could answer that," a voice said.

The couple then saw Rhea emerge from the doorway and enter the room.

Grievous asked, "How long were you listening in?"

Rhea answered, "Not long, and I wasn't spying for the Republic. Now, to answer your question, I do not consider myself a part of the war. I may live on Naboo, but I don't have to agree with what the Republic says about the Separatists. The Separatists have good reasons for seceding, so they can't be all that bad. Besides, if Rani says she see some good in you, I'm inclined to believe her…in a way.

"Look, it's obvious you two have a thing for each other. The Force and Rani's heartstone are bringing you together for a reason. Rani, do you love Grievous?"

Rani answered, "Yes."

Rhea then asked Grievous, "And Grievous, do you love my sister?"

Grievous nodded, "I do. We confessed our love for each other just before Jharona was invaded."

Rhea said, "Oh." She suddenly felt awkward prompting responses about something that was confessed a long time ago.

The general continued, "But I suppose I could see Rani's heartstone just to make sure."

"Well, I could go get it for Rani, since she needs time to recover." She then turned to her sister and asked, "Is that okay, Rani?"

Rani nodded, "Mm-hmm. It's in my downstairs workshop, under the rug."

Rhea said as she left, "Okay."

When it was just the two of them again, Grievous asked, "You have another workshop?"

Rani nodded, "Mm-hmm. That workshop is for my potions and practicing spells and my Force skills."

Grievous said, "Well, I suppose I could wait here for a while until your sister returns with the heartstone."

Rani leaned over to embrace him and said, "I'd like that very much." She pulled back and added, "By the way, thank you for saving my life. Twice now."

"I just thought it'd be a good way to repay you for all the times you saved _me_."

They both chuckled before Rani said, "I'm sorry I provoked you on Kipla's moon. I guess what I was really trying to say is that if the war was over, we'd be free to be together without keeping it a secret."

Grievous sighed as he slid his hand over his faceplate, "I am conflicted, Rani. I want to see an end to the Jedi Order, but I also want to be with you at the same time. There's also Count Dooku. I cannot disobey his orders and quit the war just like that. He'll have me hunted down if I do."

Rani nodded sadly, "I understand. I'm just worried I'll never see you again if you-"

"I know, I know." Grievous did not like to think of the possibility of dying in battle, but he knew it was a risk one had to take in war.

Rani then asked, "What will your people do without you then?"

"I'm sure they'll find someone else to take my place."

"And if they don't, I'll do it."

Grievous was surprised to hear this. He asked, "What?"

Rani asserted, "I'll protect the people of Kalee, even if I have to give up my neutrality for them."

"They are not helpless, you know. They can take care of themselves."

"True, but I'll be on call whenever they need me."

Grievous could hardly believe what Rani was saying. He asked, "Do you really mean that? Truly?"

"Angels are supposed to help, even half-angels like me."

Grievous joked as he touched Rani's arm, "You know your compassion is going to get you in trouble someday."

Rani joked back, "Well, I'll let you know if I find one of your battle droids floating on water."

Grievous chuckled, "Don't you dare."

They then locked lips. This comforted Rani a lot since it was their first kiss since the invasion of Jharona. She was glad that Grievous didn't hate her for angering him during their last meeting. For Grievous, he was grateful that Rani was all right. He wanted to relish this moment now that all of his worrying was finally over. For the first time in months, he could get a good night's rest.

Fortunately, Grievous didn't have to wait too long. Within hours, Rhea came back to Millius Prime with a crystal in hand.

Rhea entered the room and said, "Here's your heartstone, Rani."

Just then, the crystal glowed at its brightest. All three of them had to shield their eyes from the bright light.

Grievous said, "Is it supposed to do that?"

Rani said as she reached for the crystal, "Yes. I told it to glow brightest when I'm near my true love."

"And that would happen to be me?"

"Well, yes."

"All right, I believe you. Now, put away that crystal before it blinds us all."

At that moment, he put his hand on the crystal and a softer wave of yellow light coursed through his and Rani's hands before the light died down. To them, it was a sign that their bond was consolidated.

Rhea said, "Well, I guess it's official now."

Grievous looked at Rani with blissful eyes and said, "Yes. I suppose it is."

Rani returned the expression and smiled back.

 ** _Before I left, we both agreed to resume contact, though it should be limited now. Afterwards, we spoke via hologram whenever Rani was on Kalee and our meetings became few. It didn't really matter now if we were worlds apart. Our love mattered, no matter where we were or what we did. Though she knew the risks of loving a Separatist general, Rani was determined to look out for me and help me whenever I asked for it. We would probably never get married, but this was the best we made of our situation._**

 **Author's Note: Hey, everyone! I just thought I'd tell you that it's my birthday today. If you wish to review this chapter or simply wish me a happy birthday, feel free to do so. Thank you so much for reading this! It means so much to me!**


	26. Reunion

**_I'm thankful that Rani met my family. They said she was a sweet girl, a gift from the gods themselves. Now that Rashi knew who she was, she found it hard to keep it a secret, but for the sake of Rani's family, she did. My mother told me that the people of Kalee are extremely lucky to have a girl like Rani. How lucky do they think_** **I** ** _feel? I'm never going to find another one like Rani in a million years, maybe a billion!_**

 **** ** _Still, I wish that my father could've met Rani. He would've loved her…in a fatherly sense. He would tell me that I was in good hands, though he probably would've had her train more as a warrior. But he's not here now, so what difference would it make?_**

 ****In a marketplace on Lothal, Rani was selling her merchandise and artwork to customers. She was closing up shop for the day until…

 _CLANG!_

Her head turned to see a Weequay falling to the ground near an alley. She went to see what the commotion was…and almost got crushed by a falling Besalisk. Rani peeked into the alleyway and saw a group of gangsters surrounding someone.

A human said, "Face it, old man. You're surrounded."

Rani said, "Not quite."

Just before the gangsters turned to see Rani, she Force-pushed a few of them to the ground. When the gangsters left standing charged at her, she grabbed a long pipe and knocked out several of them. Just then, the Besalisk grabbed her and held her down. The large alien pulled her head up so she could face the leader of the group.

The human chuckled as he looked down upon her, "Well, well. What do we have here? Aren't you supposed to be dressed in your Jedi clothes, youngling?"

Rani scowled and answered, "I'm not a Jedi."

A voice then shouted, "And neither am I!"

At that moment, the rest of the gangsters were taken out by the stranger they had circled earlier. When he knocked the Besalisk out, Rani released herself from the alien's grasp. She looked up and saw that the stranger was heavily cloaked and his face was obscured by a face-mask and a hood.

The stranger grabbed the pipe and gave it to Rani as he said, "I think you're going to need this."

Rani then sensed something approaching her. When she heard the Weequay's yells, she swung the pipe and immediately knocked him out.

She said as she put the pipe against the wall, "Thanks."

The stranger answered, "I had a feeling you were Force-sensitive. Not just anyone can take out a group of gangsters like that."

"What about you? I think you did very well, too."

"I was trained in the warrior ways, young one. I bear many a mark of a warrior."

"Thank goodness your training paid off, then."

"And you. I saw you selling merchandise earlier. You don't look anything like a warrior should. Or a Jedi, for that matter."

"Oh, I'm not a Jedi."

"I figured that when you told the leader."

Just then, the unconscious gangsters began to groan.

The stranger told Rani, "We must be off. The gangsters will be awake soon. This is farewell, my young friend." They then parted ways before the gangsters could wake up.

The next day, Rani decided to grab lunch at Old Jho's Pit Stop when she was selling in Jhothal. When she entered, a voice behind her said, "We meet again, my young friend."

She turned back in surprise and saw the mysterious stranger she saved in the alley! She exclaimed, "Oh, hi! I didn't think I'd see you again."

"It appears fate has brought us together again. May I share a table with you?"

Rani was now uneasy at the possibility that he might be a stalker, but she nodded and said, "Sure."

They then found a table and sat there. When the waiter droid took their order, Rani told it that she would pay the bill.

The stranger told Rani, "You are a very generous girl. You must be well-off to pay for two. What is your name?"

She answered, "I'm Rani Captague."

"Ah…a merchant girl. I've heard much about your family. They are quite reputable across the galaxy. Do they know of your gift?"

"Well, yes. But I prefer to keep it a secret from most everyone outside of my family, except when I really have to defend myself and others."

"The way you fought was very impressive. However, I think your fighting style bears the signature of the Kaleesh."

Rani became nervous and explained, "Well, I know some of the Kaleesh and they were willing to teach me to fight. I want to defend myself and others, you know."

"Hmm…If you are not a Jedi, then who are you?"

"Well, I'm a Force-sensitive who experiments with potions and magic. I'm not a Nightsister, just so you know."

"Ah…So you do not particularly care for the Jedi, then?"

"Well, I don't think they're completely pure, but I don't think they're all that bad. They're just a little blinded by pride and duty, that's all."

"I do not think General Grievous will be happy to hear that you think the Jedi have any good at all."

"I know. He hates the Jedi with every fiber of his being."

"Have you been tracking the Clone Wars on the HoloNet news?"

"Well, yes, but I also know Grievous quite well." Rani didn't know why she said that, but she sensed that she could trust this stranger.

"How? Does he buy your items often?"

"No. We've been friends since the beginning of the war. He just accidentally arrived on my planet one day and that's how we met."

The stranger didn't know what to make of this. He asked, "Just how close are you and Grievous?"

The question made Rani tense, so she worded her answer carefully. "We're…fairly close. We contact each other when we can find the time. I know how much the war means to him, so I try not to get in his way."

"Do you have an affiliation in the war?"

"I'm…neutral."

"Why are you risking so much for your friendship with him? You could be tried for treason. In a worst case scenario, you could be killed."

Rani nodded, "I know. But they don't know him like I do."

"What makes you say that?"

"I know that he is in deep pain because of the massacre on Kalee. He wants to right the wrongs the Jedi had done to him and his people."

"What sort of wrongs had they committed against him?"

"Well, he…wanted to become a Jedi, but they rejected him. He waged war with them before the Republic decided to kill many of the Kaleesh. He went into exile and was eventually found by Count Dooku. He agreed to the cybernetic enhancements just so he could be better than any Jedi."

"Did he tell you all of this?"

"Yes, he did."

"It is very uncommon for a Kaleesh to befriend anyone outside of their race. The Kaleesh are proud of their heritage and look down on anyone who doesn't share their views."

"Well, I don't exactly share Grievous's views, but I understand some of his motives. We may have our disagreements, but we don't let it wreck our friendship."

"Oh…Then he must care very much about you. Does he know you're Force-sensitive?"

"Yes. He didn't take it well initially, but then he decided to overlook it, just so long as I wasn't a Jedi."

The stranger chuckled, "Then you are very fortunate that you're not."

Rani smiled, "Yeah. I'm thankful I'm not. I don't think I could ever fight in a war."

"Why not? You have the agility, the speed, and the Force-sensitivity for battle."

"Do I really want to get caught up in the pointless bloodshed of it all?"

"Not if you fight for honor."

"Well, there's hardly any honor in war."

The stranger stayed silent for several moments before he said, "You are not the first being I met who's against the war. But I have my views as well. Look at my hands, young one."

Rani's heart skipped a beat when she saw the stranger's hands. They were reddish-brown and scaly, each with two fingers and two thumbs.

She breathed, "But that means you're a…"

He said, "I hail from the planet Kalee. War is a valued tradition on my homeworld."

"If you don't mind my asking, what's your name?"

"I am Jezriam qai Sheelal."

Rani's world stood still at that moment. She knew about Jezriam, because he was Grievous's father! Grievous told her most everything he knew about his father. He looked up to Jezriam as a great man and he grew up emulating him.

Rani said, "I think I know your son, Qymaen jai Sheelal."

"You do?"

"Mm-hmm. He's now called General Grievous."

Jezriam shook his head and said, "But that is impossible! It cannot be Qymaen! You must answer this: does he have a pet roggwart?"

"He did, but the Jedi killed his pet."

"Did it have a name?"

"Gor."

Jezriam sat there in amazement until he said, "No other roggwart in my tribe was named Gor. The Kaleesh weren't allowed to use a name once it had been taken until that being died." He then turned to Rani and said, "I must speak with you alone. Do you know anywhere that could be private?"

Rani nodded, "Mm-hmm. I have a transport. We could talk in the trunk."

"Then we shall go there after lunch."

After they ate, they went out to the _Wanderer._

As Rani opened the trunk, Jezriam remarked, "I don't think I've eaten that heartily in a long time. Your kindness exceeds you, Ms. Captague."

Rani smiled, "Thank you. I'm always glad to help someone."

When they entered the trunk, they closed the door.

After he and Rani sat down on the crates, Jezriam said, "Now that you know who I am, I suppose it's time to reveal my face."

Jezriam then lowered his hood and took off his face-mask. Rani gazed upon the face of Grievous's father. He looked much like his son – or vice-versa – only he had a thick, peppered beard and his yellow eyes had a gray tint in them. His peppered hair spilled out from the head wrap he wore and his build was a bit bulkier than most Kaleesh. Nonetheless, Jezriam and Grievous looked almost identical.

Rani said, "You look a lot like your son."

Jezriam nodded, "I know, but Qymaen has his mother's eyes."

Rani was hesitant to ask a touchy question, but she had to know. "But Grievous – I mean, Qymaen – told me that you died in battle when he was 14. How come you're still here?"

Jezriam stayed silent for several moments and then sighed, "I am ashamed of the answer I will give you. You see, I _did_ go off to battle, but I did not _die_ in it. I led my comrades forward and met our enemy in the morning sun. We engaged in battle, but soon we knew that we were being defeated. But I was blinded by my own foolish pride. I refused to give up the fight, so I pressed forward.

"It wasn't until too late that I realized my error. I was so shaken by the losses on our side that I decided to bury myself in the pile of dead bodies until the battle was over. When I was discovered alive, I had to tell my surviving comrades that I would leave Kalee and send myself into exile. I persuaded them to wrap a bundle of straw and mud in a blanket and make it look like my body. After they went back to the village, I took an old starfighter and left the planet. I have been bouncing from planet to planet ever since, but I never returned to Kalee. I am too afraid to face my family and my tribesmen. They might think of me as a fraud, a weakling…a coward."

Rani couldn't believe what Jezriam was saying. She told him, "Qymaen told me how much he and your family missed you since you…went away. I'm sure he'd be very glad to see you."

"But I cannot. He might turn away from me once he knows the truth."

"Somehow, I don't think that'll be the case. If anything, he might be overjoyed that you're still here. The same could go for the rest of the family as well. If you don't want to be a coward anymore, find the courage to see your son again. If you don't see him or your family again, you'll be living a lie.

"Qymaen looked up to you, Jezriam. He told me how much he admired you when he was growing up. He respected you, he loved you. He still misses you because he thinks you're dead. You need to show him that you're not and that you love him just as much as he does you."

Jezriam stayed silent again and then said, "You will take me to Qymaen and we'll see what happens. If I show him what kind of man I really am and he rejects me because of it, then you must never try to help me again. Understand?"

Rani nodded, "Yes. I understand."

Rani contacted Grievous on her control panel and hoped that he was there. Unfortunately, only A4-D answered.

The doctor droid said, "Rani! This is quite a surprise."

"Is Grievous there by any chance?"

"I'm afraid he isn't, but I'll…" He was interrupted by a beeping. "What an odd coincidence! He's calling right now! I'll patch him through."

The hologram disappeared for several moments before a hologram of a battle-damaged Grievous appeared.

Grievous told Rani, "Is something the matter, Rani?"

"Well, I just thought I'd pay you a visit since it's been so long."

"Rani, I know you wouldn't call me just for that."

"Okay, okay. I have a surprise for you and I would like to give it to you in person."

Grievous was a bit wary about what this "surprise" might be, but he trusted Rani enough to know that she wouldn't harm him. He said, "Since I am going back to my lair for…repairs, I suppose you could stop by and drop off your gift."

"Okay, I'll see you when I get there."

When Rani turned off the transceiver, she looked behind her to see Jezriam pressing his face against the trunk window.

Jezriam said, "I can't believe that General Grievous is my son. He's changed so much since I last saw him. If it weren't for his mother's eyes, I wouldn't have believed it."

Rani asked, "How can you tell one set of eyes from another? To me, Kaleesh have the same eye color, more or less."

"We have thermoreceptors, young one. We can see in ultraviolet, so that is how we can tell one set of eyes from another."

"Okay, I believe you."

She then set the coordinates, flew her transport, and then jumped into hyperspace.

 ** _I_** **did** ** _need to undergo repairs, but I also wanted to retreat from my humiliating defeat at the hands of those filthy Gungans. I was supposed to be superior to those primitives, not let them defeat the most powerful leader of the Separatist Droid-_**

"Master?"

Grievous's head whipped back and saw A4-D at the doorway. He spoke impatiently, "Yes, Doctor?"

"Rani has just landed outside the fortress. Should I have the MagnaGuards escort her in?"

Grievous rose from his seat and said, "That will not be necessary, Doctor. I shall go meet her outside."

"As you wish, my lord."

 ** _I cannot describe how ecstatic I was to see Rani again. I felt naughty for meeting her in the shadows, but every moment spent with her was worth it._**

Grievous embraced Rani and twirled her in the air. He kissed her before he said, "I can't believe you traveled halfway across the galaxy just to bring me something."

Rani said as he put her down "Trust me, you're going to like it."

He chuckled, "What item could possibly compare to our time together?"

"Well…" She then pressed the button to open the trunk. "…it's not exactly an item." She gestured to the trunk and said, "Look inside."

Grievous stepped towards the trunk and let out a gasp when he looked inside. He blinked just to make sure he wasn't seeing things.

 ** _Could it be? Could it really be my father standing right before me?_**

Jezriam stepped forward and said, "Qymaen, my _yomacken_. It is I, your father."

Grievous shook his head in disbelief as he stammered, "What…How…how can this be?! You died in battle!"

"A part of me, yes. But I am very much here."

Jezriam slid his thumb pad across Grievous's left eyelid to prove that he was flesh and blood. Grievous felt the warmth of his father's thumb and the tears welling up in response to it.

Jezriam said, "You have your mother's eyes."

Grievous then opened his eyes and saw his father with blurry vision. He said with a choked-up voice, "I know, Papa. I know."

Some tears spilled when he embraced Jezriam. Rani's heart melted at the touching reunion. She was glad that she brought father and son back together again.

Grievous wept, "Oh, Papa, I thought I'd never see you again. How is it possible that you are alive?"

Jezriam pulled back from his son and Rani saw that he, too, had tears trailing from his eyes. He answered, "I will tell you everything."

Rani had grabbed her datapad from her transport to keep her occupied while Grievous and Jezriam spoke to each other in Grievous's chamber.

Jezriam finished, "After I left, I kept seeing you on the HoloNet News, but I never really knew it was you."

Grievous stayed silent until he asked, "But why? Why did you leave Kalee? Or our family?" A hint of hurt slipped into his voice. "Or me?"

Jezriam answered, "I knew I would never be hailed as a hero for leading brave soldiers into a battle that was almost instantly lost from the beginning. I would be reviled, hated, and cast from the tribe because of my stubborn pride. From the moment I realized that I could not win the battle, I dared not to go back home and live a life of shame. I wanted none of that for you or our family. Rani told me how much you looked up to me growing up and how you missed me every day since I was gone. You seem to care a great deal about me, even if I am a coward."

Grievous was almost ashamed to admit it, but he told his father, "If…it's all the same to you, Papa…I have been labeled as a coward, as well."

Jezriam looked at his son in disbelief and he said, "You, a coward? I don't believe that for one second!"

"Neither do I about you, Papa! No matter who you were before or even after that battle on Kalee, you will always be my father. I will always be grateful to be your son. Your reputation doesn't matter now, Papa. That fact that you are still alive brings much joy to my heart. I'm sure our family will be excited to see you, too. Will you go back to Kalee for me, Papa? I want you to show them that you're still alive."

After he was done speaking to his father, Grievous embraced Rani and said, "Thank you for bringing my father back to me. It was, indeed, quite a surprise."

"I'm glad you saw him again. But what about your family? Is your dad going to go back to Kalee?"

"He says he wants to, but only for a time. He still wants to travel the universe not just for survival, but for adventure now. He has his old courage back, thanks to us. But I especially have you to thank, dearest. If I had never known that my father was still alive, my vigor would've been drained in another year of the Clone Wars."

"So in a way, I renewed your drive for fighting."

"Yes." He kissed her on the forehead before he continued, "Rani, I just want you to understand that if I could just walk away from the war, I would. You, my father, and my family mean so much to me. I could not go on if any one of you died. I love you too much. You know that, don't you?"

"Very much so." With that, Grievous and Rani held each other for a passionate kiss.

Just as Rani and Jezriam were leaving, the Kaleesh turned to face Grievous. He smirked, "You are in love with her, aren't you?"

Grievous was surprised at how his father knew this. He asked, "How did…?"

Jezriam said, "I just happened to catch you two kissing in the hallway."

Grievous glanced sideways as he muttered embarrassedly, "Oh…"

"If she means that much to you, then I won't get in the way of your happiness."

"But Papa, something _will_ get in the way of our love: the war. She knows I am fighting for the honor of the Kaleesh and to quench my vengeance on the Jedi."

"Just how much do you love her?"

"More than you could imagine."

"Then love will find a way, regardless of the war. But if I were you, I wouldn't let this one get away. She has a good heart, and that is a treasure one rarely finds in a time of war."


	27. Everlasting Love

**_I thought about what Papa had said. I knew Rani meant so much to me and I definitely did not want to lose her. But after the incident on Naboo, I began to think seriously about what might happen to me in the war. What if I got captured? What if I was killed? What if I was forever an outlaw after the war ended? I knew that I was definitely not going to get pardoned._**

 **** ** _If I tried to forget about Rani, the Force would just find some way to bring us back together. Back on Millius Prime, Rani had told me that if something happened to me or we just couldn't be together, she would never marry. I would be the only one she would ever want to marry. So why not just wed Rani? That was a crazy idea that crossed my mind, but still…I no longer had the heart to tell Rani that we could never get married after I made her cry on Millius Prime. And the more the idea of wedding her came into my mind, the more intriguing it sounded._**

 ****Grievous jumped into hyperspace after he fled another battle. He had captured Adi Gallia and was holding her hostage until Master Plo Koon came to her rescue. Grievous retreated back to his lair and landed his starfighter in the hangar. Just as he walked into his castle, he heard a voice say, "Need time off again?"

Grievous was surprised to hear that voice and even more surprised when the being who stepped in front of him was his father!

"Papa! What are you doing here?"

"Is it wrong for me to see my son? I just wanted to know how you were doing."

"Papa, don't you watch the HoloNet News anymore?"

"Yes, but they present a fixed view of you. Besides, they don't know my son like I do."

They laughed at that before heading to Grievous's chamber.

When they entered the room, Jezriam said, "Qymaen, the whole village is talking about it. They're spreading rumors that you're planning to marry Rani very soon."

When Rani had brought Jezriam back to Kalee, the Kaleesh tribe responded with shock. After Jezriam told them everything, only several turned away from him. Others were unsure, so Jezriam had to perform a purity ritual in order to cleanse his shame. When he completed it, they welcomed him back with open arms. Rani and Grievous continued to speak via hologram on Kalee and their love grew.

Grievous retorted, "What? Papa, it's just gossip! I love Rani, but I don't know if I'll marry her or not. Besides, being wedded to a girl neutral in the war is dangerous!" He sighed as he sat down, "I just don't know, Papa."

Jezriam said, "Son, you're in a war. What if something happens to you? You should get married before anything else happens. Otherwise, you might never get another chance."

"And what will it benefit me if I do?"

"The knowledge that you'll have a loving, caring wife before you die. Trust me, Qymaen. No one needs love more than you do. You're constantly in battle. You need someone who will support you through every campaign you embark on. If there's anyone who will be willing to stand up for you, it's Rani."

Grievous stayed silent as he contemplated this. He did love Rani, but marrying her would mean risking everything they had. But then again, when would he get another chance? He couldn't believe he was about to do it, but his father was right. If Grievous wanted to get married just once, he wanted his wife to be the one he loved.

Grievous put his hands on his head and groaned, "Oh, Papa, I must be going mad!"

Jezriam smirked, "You're already mad – madly in love."

Grievous glared at his father and said, "Papa, you're not helping."

Rani had been summoned to Millius Prime for a family get-together. She wondered what the occasion was, but Rhea told her that it was just quality time. She spent the day with her family before watching the sunset on the bench on the hill. She enjoyed many sunsets and sunrises on Millius Prime. The setting and rising of the sun were said to have reinvigorated the Diathim every time. Rani knew it definitely applied emotionally.

Just then, she sensed a familiar aura.

 _"_ _Wise men say…"_

She turned in all directions to find the voice and eventually found Grievous climbing the hill.

He continued to sing, _"…only fools rush in…But I can't help falling in love…with you…"_

She was surprised to see him here, but her heart was filled with joy. She rose to greet him and kiss him.

She smiled, "I can't believe you're here."

"Well, I wanted to see you at the peak of the sunset. The Diathim told me that the sunset and sunrise refresh them. I don't suppose you'll open your wings for maximum effect?"

"Sure." She spread her wings and then asked, "By the way, how did you know about the get-together?"

"Let's just say that I arranged it."

"What?"

"I'm sorry if it was a ruse, but at least you got to spend time with your family."

Rani was genuinely confused and asked, "Why did you plan this?"

Grievous then pulled out a dark green armband from his cloak and said, "Just so I can propose to you."

Rani was amazed to hear that and breathed, "Does that mean that you _will_ have me?"

"Yes, but only _if_ you'll have me."

An excited smile spread on Rani's face and she embraced him, saying, "Of course I'll have you! I love you, Grievous!"

At that moment, Rani had a radiant glow about her. Grievous looked at the sunset and realized that it was reaching its peak. He looked at Rani's wings and saw that they were shimmering. Her wings emitted a more brilliant glow than they had ever emitted. He tried to look for any hint of gray in them, but saw no trace.

He told Rani, "I love you too, Rani."

 ** _It was the most perfect moment of our lives._**

It turned out that the "get-together" that Grievous had arranged was an engagement party. Most of the attendees were happy for the couple, save for a few and Cassell. Despite all this, though, everyone – including the engaged couple – knew that such a marriage – if any at all – would be risky, especially during a time of war. There was no rush to set a wedding date, but Grievous and Rani knew who to invite. Both wanted to invite their parents and siblings to the private ceremony, which they planned to hold on D'Qar. Rani and Grievous agreed that their traditions would be blended for the wedding and the reception.

 ** _We both agreed that it would be safe to wait a few months before actually getting married. We knew that it meant an increased chance that I would die in battle, but Rani took it in stride, saying that she would at least be engaged if that happened. What we thought would only be a few months turned into several! So much was happening during that time, including when I massacred the Nightsisters. It was partly because I was carrying out Dooku's orders, but it was also partly because I wanted to eliminate the source of Rani's darkness. I wanted to hope that it would help her, but I couldn't be sure._**

 ** _When I invaded Florrum some time later, an opportunity for the wedding arose. We jumped at the chance as soon as it arrived._**

As Grievous was buffing himself up, a droid delivered Grievous's dry-cleaned cloak to the lair. When A4-D inspected it, he let out a gasp and uttered, "Oh, dear…"

Just then, Grievous emerged from his chamber all shiny and new. He said, "I see my cloak has just come back from the cleaners."

The doctor droid tittered, "Oh, yes. Heh. There is, however, one slight error."

Grievous opened the box and shouted, "What have they done to my cloak?!" He then pulled the now-white cloak out of the box.

"It seems that they accidentally bleached it. It's a shame you're not going to wear it now. White is an appropriate color for a wedding."

Grievous realized that A4-D might be right. He said, "You know, doctor? That is an excellent point. I have only one question." He held up the cloak beside him for comparison and asked, "Does it clash with my armor?"

Preparations were being made on D'Qar, a fairly isolated planet. It was thankfully a planet far from the reaches of either the Republic or the Separatists. It was a paradise, though not as beautiful as Millius Prime. Two priests were there, one from Kalee and the other from Millius Prime. It astounded most of Grievous's family that they were seeing angels with their own eyes. The bride had already arrived and was now getting dressed with her sister and Grievous's sisters and sisters-in-law in a tent the Diathim pitched up. Now all they needed was the groom. Both sets of parents were getting worried that Grievous wasn't here yet.

Makeeyla fretted, "You don't suppose Qymaen had been sent to the frontlines so suddenly?"

Jezriam comforted his wife, "Oh, Mama, he would've contacted us if something came up."

Cassell whispered aside to Aurora, "Like cold feet?"

Kaleesh had very good hearing, so Grievous's parents overheard him and Jezriam objected, "Our son would never abandon your daughter like that."

Makeeyla agreed, "I've seen it in his eyes. He's in love with Rani."

Cassell thought, _That's what I'm afraid of._

Meanwhile, Rhea and Grievous's sisters and sisters-in-law were helping Rani get prepared.

Jushida said, "Oh, this is very exciting! Qymaen is getting married!"

Ronderu, one of Grievous's sisters, told her, "If you ask me, he made a very surprising choice for a bride."

Tante, one of Grievous's sisters-in-law, said as she was combing her young daughter's hair, "But at least he'll be happy with her."

Rashi told Rani, "You must be a very good woman if Qymaen is getting married to you."

Rani nodded, "Yeah, I was pretty surprised by that, too."

Rhea said, "Then he must love you very much."

Jushida said, "Are you kidding? Qymaen wouldn't settle with just any girl in the galaxy. She has to be the one. Well, technically, Qymaen already had someone until she died."

Rhea blurted, "What?"

Rani said, "Long story."

Just then, a Kaleesh boy ran into the tent, crying, "He's here! He's here! Qymaen is here!"

Rhea sighed in relief and told Rani, "At least he wasn't going to ditch you at the altar."

Ronderu shot back, "Of course not! Why would he?"

Rashi said, "He may not have as much honor on the battlefield as he used to, but when it comes to marrying Rani, he'll honor his promise just for her."

A Diathim cook appeared and remarked, "He'll have to. I just finished the cake."

The group in the tent chuckled at that.

Outside the tent, Grievous jumped out of his starfighter with his white cloak billowing on his back. The Kaleesh wedding party surrounded him and greeted him warmly. When his parents came up to him, he held them in a warm embrace.

Makeeyla asked, "Qymaen, what happened to your cloak? I thought you only had dark green cloaks."

Before Grievous could answer, A4-D spoke up, "It got sent to the dry cleaners and it was bleached white by accident."

Grievous rolled his eyes and said agitatedly, "Yes, doctor. That's precisely what happened."

Makeeyla said, "Oh, let's not worry about the cloak. You're here and that's all that matters."

Jezriam then ushered Grievous, "Now come so the holy man can put the ceremonial paint on you."

While the Kaleesh holy man was applying paint on Grievous's faceplate, the cyborg overheard Rani's parents.

Cassell whispered to Aurora, "Do you really think Grievous will be right for Rani? I mean, he's a Separatist general. I didn't think there'd be any love in him at all."

It frustrated Grievous that Rani's father didn't trust him. But Rani trusted Grievous, and that was good enough.

Aurora said, "Sometimes love can appear from the most unexpected places and people."

Cassell asked, "But does he love her? I mean really? I just don't want him hurting her."

Grievous then spoke up, "I assure you, Mr. Captague. I will do nothing of the kind. Rani is a strong girl and she's capable of handling anything thrown at her. I will defend her if necessary. And to answer your question: yes, I love your daughter dearly. She means so much to me. It may be hard to convey my emotions sometimes, but I will never hurt Rani. You have my word."

Soon the wedding parties got ready for the ceremony. Grievous's family stood on the right while Rani's family stood on the left. As a result of blending traditions from both cultures, Rani had her face painted like Grievous did and Grievous wore a cloak in lieu of a tuxedo.

The procession started and some of Grievous's brothers and brothers-in-law beat on the drums. Grievous's nieces threw flower petals along the "aisle" and his nephews carried a flag to honor his tribe. As per Kaleesh tradition, if two different clans were going to merge by marriage, the flags of the bride and groom had to be carried by members of their families. Rhea, who was the maid of honor, carried the flag of Millius Prime down the "aisle".

Finally, it was time. Grievous walked towards the two holy men and stood by them to await the reveal of his bride.

 ** _I couldn't believe this was happening. Was I actually doing it? Would I even go through with it? Nerves arose from time to time, but I never truly got cold feet._**

His anxiety subsided when he saw her. His heart skipped just like when he saw her in her birthday dress. She was wearing an ankle-length white dress with a veil covering her painted face. Her wings were spread out in all their glory and she held a bouquet of red roses dotted with white roses and orchids.

When Rani came up to Grievous, he lifted her veil to see her beautiful face. Rani smiled, "Well, do you like it?"

Grievous answered, "Let's just say that nothing could improve your natural beauty."

They then held hands and kneeled before the priests. This was another Kaleesh tradition. The groom had to kneel with his right knee on the ground and his left up. The same applied for the bride, but she had to have her left knee on the ground and her right up so that her knee would be side-by-side with the groom's as a sign of unity.

The Kaleesh holy man spoke, "Families of the bride and groom, we are here today to witness the union between Qymaen jai Sheelal and his bride Rani Captague."

The Diathim priest then said, "It is an unusual relationship, but one uniquely blessed by the Force."

"And it is by our Force that these two, though they have little in common, are together even today."

"So it is with great joy that we blend two cultures together with the marriage of Rani and Qymaen. We will now perform the custom of uniting two heritages as per the wishes of the couple."

Grievous and Rani wanted to try a new custom that other beings did to unite their cultures. The Diathim priest slid a pronged stick between the couple's clasped hands. This stick held two ribbons that the bride and groom had to hold with their free hands.

The Kaleesh holy man said, "Will you honor the traditions of your beloved's culture?"

The couple answered in unison, "We will."

In response to that, the holy man twisted the stick one time so sections of the ribbons would intertwine with the stick.

The Diathim priest said, "Do you promise not to ridicule your beloved's tradition?"

The couple replied, "We will."

The Diathim priest in turn twisted the stick until parts of the ribbons were further wrapped around the pole of the stick.

The Kaleesh holy man said, "If a certain tradition discomforts you, will you make your feelings known gently and forgo the tradition if both wish it?"

The couple responded, "We will."

This time, both priests twisted the stick until both ribbons were almost completely laced around the stick. The Diathim priest then spoke, "Then by the will of the Force…"

The Kaleesh holy man added, "…and the blessings of the ancestors…"

Both priests said in unison, "…the cultures are merged."

The wedding parties clapped for a while until the Diathim priest said, "Now the couple will recite their vows."

Rani was the first to speak. She faced Grievous and said, "The Force brought us together for a reason. I have no clear idea what it wants, but it might have something to do with loving you. Honestly, Grievous, no one is in more need of compassion and love than you. You're going to need all the strength you can get for fighting your battles against the Jedi and the Republic. Though our ideals might not match up 100%, I'll be there when you need me. Just say the word and I'll give up anything for you."

Rani's family cringed a bit at the last sentence.

Grievous said, "And here is my vow: no matter what the galaxy may throw at us, no matter what the war may bring, I will never give up my love for you. I'm already a coward on the battlefield – to some extent – but I cannot be a coward when it comes to love. I cannot run away from the bond we have, I cannot deny that I love you more than you could ever know, but you cannot risk your own life for me. Your safety is all I ask. Please, Rani. Do this for me."

Rani nodded, "All right. I will."

The Kaleesh holy man said, "Rani Captague, do you take Qymaen jai Sheelal to be your lawfully wedded husband? To cherish, to hold, to honor, in war and peace, in day and night, for better or for worse, through thick and thin, in sickness and in health until death do you part?"

"I do."

The Diathim priest said, "Qymaen jai Sheelal, do you take Rani Captague to be your lawfully wedded wife? To cherish, to hold, to honor, in war and peace, in day and night, for better or for worse, through thick and thin, in sickness and in health until death do you part?"

Grievous knew that Cassell was hoping the general would say "no", so he chose to defy her father. He said, "I certainly do."

The Kaleesh priest then said, "With the vows now exchanged, may we have the tokens please?"

Rokshu, one of Grievous's nephews, came up to them with a golden ring and an armband on a pillow. Rani grabbed for the armband and slid it up Grievous's arm while saying, "With this token, I thee wed."

Grievous grabbed the ring and slid it on Rani's finger, saying, "With this token, I thee wed."

The Kaleesh holy man said, "Then by the power vested in us…"

The Diathim priest continued, "…we now pronounce you…"

They both said in unison, "…husband and wife."

Flower petals were thrown in the air as Rani and Grievous joined together in a deep kiss.

The reception that followed was a celebration enjoyed by all. Even though Rani's family still had their reservations about Grievous, they began to trust him more and became more open to him. After the celebration was over, Grievous and Rani were left on the planet to spend the night as newlyweds. Rani sat on Grievous's lap as they sat on a crest and looked up at the moon.

Grievous said, "I can't believe we're actually married now. How did it come to this?"

Rani smiled, "Well, there was the Force, the heartstone, and of course the first time I rescued you."

If Grievous still had a mouth, he would've been smirking. He said playfully, "You mean when I crash-landed in the sea?"

They both laughed at the memory.

 ** _If we were told the first time we met that we would eventually fall in love and marry, we never would've believed it. This was a future we never would've imagined then, but despite the cloudy future we faced now, we imagined one where we would spend the rest of our lives together in peace. To me, I wanted it more than killing the Jedi and bringing down the Republic. At that moment, I had all I could ever desire._**

Grievous then began to sing, _"Suntanned, windblown…Honeymooners at last alone…Feeling far above par…Oh, how lucky we are…While I give to you and you give to me…True love, true love…So on and on it will always be…True love, true love…_

 _"_ _For you and I have a guardian angel on high, with nothing to do…But to give to you and to give to me…Love forever true…"_

Rani and Grievous both sang, _"For you and I have a guardian angel on high, with nothin' to do…But to give to you and to give to me…Love forever true…Love forever true…"_

They embraced for a long kiss under the moonlight.

Rani woke up the next morning to the bright sunlight streaming in from the slit in the front curtains of the tent. She peeked out the tent to see Grievous exercising before the rosy dawn. It was such a beautiful morning, so Grievous had crept out of his mat and took in the fresh air. It did wonders for his ravaged lungs and felt more rejuvenated than he had in a long time. Rani walked towards him quietly so she wouldn't disturb him.

Grievous heard her footsteps and turned to her, saying, "Good morning, dearest."

Rani said, "I didn't think you would hear me."

Grievous pointed to his antennae and said, "I have powerful hearing because of these."

"So what are you doing out here?"

"I am performing _Lok Cha_ , a practice warriors perform in the morning to prepare themselves for the day. Even on days without battle, we still do this so our senses and skills don't become dull. We must stay ever vigilant, ever agile, and ever strong."

"Would you like to teach me _Lok Cha_?"

Grievous was surprised to hear this, so he asked, "Would you be willing?"

"If it helps me with my training, then sure."

Grievous put his hands on her shoulders and said, "I will be honored to teach you my warrior ways…as long as it doesn't clash with your ideals."

"Deal." They then drew close for a kiss.

 ** _I couldn't have cherished our honeymoon more. It was a few precious days of wedded bliss. No war, no droids, no clones. It was just Rani and me. Unfortunately, though, reality came back when we were married for four days. A4-D contacted me, telling me that Dooku wanted me on the battlefield again. I knew that war was my calling, but I also shared my heart with Rani, my beloved angel._**

 ** _We both knew it would be a while before we had contact again. I mean, what could possibly happen before we'd see each other again?_**

 **AN: The song here is "True Love" from the film** ** _High Society_** **.**


	28. Changes

**AN: Okay, a little notice here. I decided to raise the rating to T for talk about mature topics. The rating will also apply later on in the story. It will then apply to injury.**

Rani was in her workshop when she heard a chime. She went to her computer and activated the transceiver. When A4-D's hologram appeared, a part of Rani feared for the worst.

She said, "Hi, doctor. What's new?"

A4-D responded, "My master wants you to come to his lair. It involves his new armor change."

"Armor change?"

"The resources for the duranium used for Grievous's armor have been diminishing and the Separatist have decided to re-route the money towards battle droid production."

"He must've not been too pleased with that."

"I should say not. With less funding for creating Grievous's armor, it had to be re-designed so less duranium would be used. He's now worried about what you might think of his new look."

"Well, it couldn't be that bad, could it?"

"It could if some of your gut sack is showing."

Rani grimaced, "Ooh…Yeah, he'd be more vulnerable that way."

A voice then roared over the hologram, "It certainly wasn't _my_ idea!"

A4-D said, "Just please come so he wouldn't have to fret so much."

Rani nodded, "All right. I'll be on my way."

The _Wanderer_ landed outside the fortress and Rani entered the castle. She spent considerable time in Grievous's fortress, so she knew her way to the control room. To her surprise, A4-D opened the door to the control room.

The doctor droid ushered her, "Please follow me." As Rani followed him down the hallway, he told her, "I must warn you, Rani. Some of his organs are now exposed and he'll have two tubes connected to his neck. He might not be the same cyborg you married."

Rani asked, "Why? Has he changed in personality, too?"

"No. Just in appearance."

"Ah. Then he'd still be the same one I married."

"But he won't look the same."

"I know."

They then entered the MagnaGuard inventory. A4-D spoke aloud, "She's here, Master! Come out!"

A voice then snarled from behind the door, "I have cameras all over, doctor! Rani's arrival doesn't need to be announced!"

Rani was unsettled that Grievous was crankier than usual, but she attributed that to the new armor change and his worry about her opinion of it. The door then flew open and a chair slid backwards into the inventory. Rani could not see Grievous from behind the chair.

When the chair stopped, Grievous asked from behind it, "Are you prepared for what you're about to see, Rani?"

Rani nodded, "Yes, but you make it sound like something went horribly wrong. Should I be worried?"

"Only if you're not going to like what you see."

Grievous then rose from his chair and stood before Rani. Truth be told, she was a little startled by his new appearance. A4-D had been right. Grievous's gut sack was now exposed on the lower sides. He had noticeably less armor on his shoulders and he had two tubes connected to his neck, which had a piece of flesh now exposed through an opening in his neck covering. His antennae were slimmer and he now had six fingers on each hand.

He asked his wife, "What do you think?"

Rani said, "Well, this is quite a new look for you. Is it an upgrade or something?"

Grievous scoffed, "Hardly. Like the doctor told you, the Separatists had to re-design my armor so it didn't require much duranium. The result is very efficient, but at the cost of vulnerability."

"So it's more of a downgrade, if you don't mind my saying?"

"Yes. That's precisely what it is."

"Well, I don't mind your new look. You're still the same husband I married on D'Qar. No downgrade will ever change that."

Grievous embraced her and said, "I'm very relieved to hear that." They locked lips and had a romantic kiss.

Months later, Grievous was in his quarters on a battleship. He had been summoned to battle the Republic navy over Kessel. Just then, his holoprojector chimed. He pulled it out and a hologram of A4-D appeared.

The doctor droid said, "Master, Rani just called. She wants to meet with you as soon as possible."

Grievous said, "I regret to say that I cannot at the moment. I am due to battle the Republic again. Did she say what she wanted to see me about?"

"She didn't, but she told me to contact her when you're available."

"I hope she knows it may be a while."

 ** _And a while it was. Actually, it took two months before I retreated back to my lair. It was surprising how long I had gone without needing serious repairs. Perhaps I had been more careful ever since my downgrade. I did not want to risk my safety due to my increased vulnerability. However, this surprise could not compare to what came next._**

After Grievous rested from his repairs, he asked A4-D, "Doctor, is Rani on her way now?"

The doctor droid nodded, "She should be arriving at any moment now. But when I called her, she seemed different."

"Different? How?"

Just then, something on the control panel chimed. A4-D turned and said, "Ah! There she is now."

Grievous went outside and saw the _Wanderer_ land. When Rani emerged from the transport, she had a small curve on her abdomen.

 ** _The doctor had been right. She_** **did** ** _seem different. The question was why?_**

He embraced her, kissed her, and said, "It's been so long. I regret not being able to come immediately when you first called. Was it urgent?"

Rani said, "Well, not really. I just wanted to tell you that you're going to be a father."

Grievous drew back in surprise and sputtered, "What?"

 ** _A father?! How was this even possible?! I could not impregnate her! Did she choose to adopt without my consent? Or worse, did she go behind my back and fool around with another? Or was she raped? The more I thought about it, the third choice wasn't plausible. She was too cheerful when she told me._**

Grievous scowled and asked in a low voice, "Rani, what have you done?"

Rani answered, "I made myself pregnant with one of your tears. Well, technically, I used a spell on them to act as your-"

Grievous interrupted, "Yes, yes. I know how conception works. But how could you possibly get pregnant by my tears?"

"They're a piece of your DNA, and so I used them to impregnate me. Look, I made a recording to prove it."

She pulled out a holocam and pressed a button. A blue screen came on and it showed Rani in a place Grievous assumed was her secret workshop. She was mixing something in a bowl and then set it down. She opened a bottle and poured out a yellowish liquid. Grievous knew then it was his tears.

Onscreen, Rani recited something in a Diathim language as she was mixing the contents in the bowl again. Moments later, the liquid mixture began to glow. She set the bowl down again and used a syringe to suck up the fluid. She pulled down her pants and then her-

"Enough! I get it!" Grievous commanded while using his hand to shield his eyes. When Rani deactivated the screen, he asked, "Are you even sure it's mine?"

Rani said, "Look, if you want to do a paternity test, you'll have to wait till the baby's born. I won't risk it by doing amniocentesis."

Grievous then said, "Wait. There is a way to determine paternity without invading the womb. It's not a common practice, but it is used in certain situations. When a Kaleesh suspects his wife has been unfaithful to him at the time of pregnancy, the shamans put a gel over her belly. When the gel dries, the husband puts his hand over her belly button. If he leaves a luminescent handprint, he is the father. Otherwise, he leaves no mark."

"Well, that sounds like a plan to me. Do you have time to go to Kalee with me?"

"Thankfully, I have time to spare. And also, you can't do the paternity ritual without me. I'll be riding in your transport to avoid suspicion."

Grievous and Rani soon arrived on Kalee. The tribespeople welcomed them with open arms. Some of them even followed the couple until Rani and Grievous entered the shamans' tent. The council of shamans sat in a curved row on the far side of the tent. They wore shawls decorated with teeth and stones and masks that represented the animals of Kalee. Both Grievous and Rani bowed before the shamans, as was customary.

Grievous said as he kneeled and then stood up again, "O wise shamans of the _Kolpak_ tribe, we request a paternity ritual to determine the father of the child in Rani's womb."

The shamans were surprised to hear that Rani was even pregnant. One of them asked, "Have you slept with someone else, young Captague?"

Rani answered, "No! I used one of Grievous's tears to impregnate me."

Another shaman said, "That is impossible! Tears cannot make one pregnant!"

Rani clarified, "Well, okay, I used a spell so Grievous's tear would make me pregnant. It was carefully laid out."

Grievous nodded, "She tells the truth, wise elders. She even recorded the process as proof."

The head shaman asked, "Then what makes you doubt that you're the father?"

The cyborg replied, "We have no idea whether or not Rani's spell worked."

The shamans looked at each other and nodded. The head shaman said, "So be it. We shall perform the paternity ritual."

Rani lied down on a mat and pulled her shirt halfway up and her pants just below her belly button. She asked the shamans, "No offense, but is the gel safe for me?"

The shaman preparing the gel chuckled, "Do not worry, young one. It's perfectly safe for virtually any species that comes into contact with this. It should be fine."

When he brought the bowl of gel to the other shamans, they sprinkled powder on it and chanted. After they were done chanting, they brought the gel to the couple and smeared it on Rani's pregnant belly.

Rani then asked, "How long do we have to wait till it dries?"

A shaman answered, "Not very long. It'll be dry in a minute or so."

Another shaman then whispered to Grievous, "She is a very inquisitive girl."

Grievous nodded, "I admire her curiosity…except when it gets to be too much."

The shaman chuckled at that.

After the gel dried, the head shaman said, "All right, general. You may put your hand on her."

He didn't know why, but Grievous felt nervous. A part of him wanted to be the father, but another part worried that Rani had committed infidelity behind his back. He knew there was only one way to find out. He put his hand on Rani's stomach.

 ** _And now, the moment of truth…_**

He slowly lifted his hand with his eyes closed. He heard collective gasps and opened his eyes to see what the result was. His heart jumped in surprise to see a golden six-fingered handprint on Rani's abdomen!

The head shaman turned to Grievous and said, "Congratulations. You're the father."

Rani smiled, "See? Told you I'd never cheat on you."

Grievous chuckled, "And you were right as always, dearest. I'm sorry I didn't believe you. I should know better than to distrust someone with Diathim lineage. Can you forgive me?"

Rani said before she kissed him, "Yes."

A fellow shaman then said, "What are we waiting for? Let us share the happy news!"

 ** _The shamans had gathered everyone in the center of the village, where most announcements and news were delivered. The_** **klomatsen** ** _were skeptical of both the unborn child's paternity and Rani's fidelity, so we had to perform the paternity ritual again. Although the ritual was rarely performed in public except for shaming the woman, we had to do this so everyone would be convinced that I was the father. When my handprint showed up, the crowd was surprised and then ecstatic. A feast was soon held in honor of our child-to-be._**

 ** _Knowing that I had to go back to the war in a while, I savored every moment of the celebration and reserved it as strength for the exhausting battles I would face. I also knew that if I died in battle, I'd have a child to carry on my legacy. Whether or not I would ever see my child was beyond my knowledge. After I returned to the war, Rani sent me progress reports on the pregnancy._**

 ** _But despite it all, I could hardly believe I was even going to_** **be** ** _a father. I also considered the risks of Rani carrying my child. If the baby was discovered to be mine, it could put Rani and our child in grave danger. Sometimes I found myself wondering what would happen when our child would come into the galaxy._**

Grievous had been called to Raxus to accompany Dooku for the Raxian Humanitarian Award Ceremony. He knew he was attending just to be his bodyguard, but he wondered what sort of gown Rani would've worn if she was here. As a Separatist. Who'd also be not pregnant. Grievous regretted that circumstances couldn't be otherwise, but he was glad that Rani was safe with their unborn child.

As soon as Dooku's speech was made, Grievous retreated to the center security hub. He thought it would be the perfect opportunity to contact Rani…if those bothersome battle droids weren't in the same room as him.

He commanded his metallic soldiers, "Guard the halls. I want to make sure there's no disturbance."

The battle droids nodded, "Roger, roger."

When the droids marched out of the hub, Grievous immediately pressed some buttons on the holotable.

 ** _I finally have all the privacy I need to talk to Rani. I only hope she answers._**

 ****A hologram of Rani then appeared. Grievous was amazed at how drastically she had changed. Her stomach had swollen greatly and her chest was more pronounced. He had seen this in pregnant Kaleesh women, but he never thought it would happen to Rani, when he thought she couldn't bear a child that belonged to him. Rani herself was surprised to even see Grievous right now.

She remarked, "I'm surprised you called me."

He asked, "Why? Because I caught you at a serendipitous time?"

"Well, that and because you managed to find time on Raxus to call."

"Wait, how did you know I was on Raxus?"

"The holotrace program on my computer traced the call to Raxus. What are you doing over there, anyway?"

"I am accompanying the Count for his Raxian Humanitarian Award Ceremony."

Rani was surprised to hear this and asked hesitantly, "The Raxian Humanitarian Award? Count Dooku?"

"Well, he's no more a humanitarian than I, but he's willing to build that image for the Separatists so they could put confidence in him. The Sith are skilled at creating deception."

"I bet. So why'd you call?"

"I just wanted to check up on you. How is our child?"

Rani stroked her pregnant belly and said, "Everything's going great so far. According to the doctors on both Kalee and Millius Prime, the baby should be due about now."

"Already? Time certainly gets away from you when you're at war."

"How about this? I'll let A4-D know when the baby gets here and he'll tell you when the opportunity presents itself."

"I'm good with that plan." Just then, the comlink Grievous had chimed. He said, "Count Dooku is contacting me. I have to attend to urgent matters now."

Rani nodded in understanding, "I know. It's your job. Just be safe, okay?"

"Rani, one is seldom safe in a time of war."

"Good point. I hope I'll see you soon."

"And I to you, dearest."

"Love you." With a kiss, Rani's hologram vanished.

Dooku's voice then asked, "General?"

He answered his comlink and said, "Yes, my lord?"

"The betrayer Ventress is here. Meet me on the overlook."

"Yes, Master!"

Grievous headed towards the door, but then a dark-skinned person somersaulted from above and sliced the door controls with his green lightsaber, shutting the door in the process.

The Jedi turned to Grievous and smirked, "You're not going anywhere."

 ** _It had been a long night for me. I had received damage from doing battle with Quinlan Vos and Asajj Ventress. They had come to Raxus to assassinate Count Dooku, but the Sith Lord bested Vos and took him hostage. Ventress, on the other hand, had escaped with various wounds. I flew back to my lair to get repairs done and rest in my chamber. The next morning would bring a surprise I would never forget…_**

When Grievous woke up the next morning, he walked down to his trophy room and polished his lightsaber collection.

A4-D then walked into the room and said cheerfully, "Good morning, Master."

Grievous said nonchalantly, "Hello, doctor. Why have you come to my trophy room?"

"I have glorious news! You are now the proud father of a healthy son!"

This shocked Grievous enough to accidentally ignite the lightsaber he was polishing, which was pointing downwards. He saw that the green blade had pierced the platform he was sitting at and caused it to shut down. Still, nothing could deter his newfound joy at the news.

He stood up and asked the doctor, "Rani had the baby?"

A4-D nodded, "Yes. Just last night. A baby boy. Length: 22 inches. Weight: 7 pounds, 12 ounces."

Grievous felt pride and wonder rise in his chest. He had to lean on something while taking in the news.

 ** _It had actually happened. I was now a father…to a son! Now that I knew I had a son, I wanted to see him and Rani before it was too late._**

Before anyone had the chance to call him back to the war, Grievous flew over to Jharona when it was night there. He wanted to arrive under the cover of darkness so no one would see him or his starfighter. It was a risky move to land the _Soulless One_ at the base of the mountain, but Grievous was too occupied with his thoughts of seeing his child. He was so anxious to see his newborn son that he practically dashed up the steps to the house. To his surprise, he saw a transport on the landing platform. It looked much like the _Wanderer_ , but it seemed different. It gave him some concern, but he just went straight to the door.

When he opened it, he was surprised to see Rhea and his parents in the living room. Rashi and his brother Qulan were there as well.

Makeeyla embraced Grievous and said, "Isn't this wonderful, Qymaen? You have a son now."

Grievous chuckled, "Yes. It's a wonderful surprise." He turned to Jezriam and embraced him, saying, "Papa!"

Jezriam smiled, " _Grand_ papa. You're the papa now."

Rashi remarked, "I never knew it would happen. My brother has now become a father."

Qulan said, "It is a great – but also unexpected – occasion for him."

Makeeyla said, "Truly, he has been blessed. First a wife, and now a child."

Jezriam said, "You have everything you could want, _yomacken_."

 ** _But how much will I have before I lose it all?_**

Rhea stood up from the couch and asked, "Want to see your baby now?"

Grievous nodded, "I would like that very much."

Anxiety ran through Grievous's metal body as he walked up the stairs. He didn't know what to expect. Was the boy going to have calciphylaxis like his mother? Would people find out who the child's father really was? Rani had told folks she met that she was married to a Kaleesh who was neutral in the war. She told them that her husband was assuming different aliases because he defected from the Separatists. Grievous commended Rani for creating such a story, balanced between truth and lies.

When he was just outside her bedroom, he took a deep breath and entered.

 ** _I'll never forget that moment for the rest of my life. There she was, sitting in bed with a blue bundle in her arms. She looked up, smiled at me, and turned our son towards me. In that instant I knew that I was no longer a childless cyborg._**

The boy was a mixture of both his parents in everything, a perfect combination. His skin was between scaly and smooth, he had five fingers with two opposable thumbs, his ears and lower lip were almost pointed, and his nose was a mix between his mom's and dad's. He had dark brown hair, a combination of Rani's brown hair and the black hair Grievous had before his cybernetic transformation. His color of his skin lied between the two extremes of his dad's reddish skin and his mother's pale color. What really surprised both parents was that the baby had a streak of red hair.

Grievous kneeled beside the bed and leaned over to get a closer look at his soon. He said, "Look at him. He's everything I could ever want in a son. I never thought it would happen, but it did."

Rani smiled, "Like I said, miracles can happen."

"Darling, you're one of the miracles that ever happened to me." He gave her a kiss on the forehead.

Rani looked at her son and said, "Look! His eyes are opening."

When the baby opened his eyes, they were a pure green with pupils that rounded in the middle and had pointed ends that faced upwards and downwards. His scleras were gray compared to Rani's whites and Grievous's blacks.

Grievous chuckled in amazement, "Even his eyes are a perfect mixture of us both!"

Rhea asked, "So, what are you going to name him?"

 ** _Rani and I had decided that if the baby was a girl, she would name it. If it was a boy, I would do the honor._**

Grievous answered, "There is a legendary hero I would like to name my son after: Alarumesh."

Rhea was a little surprised by the name, but Grievous's family was pleased with his choice. Jezriam said, "Alarumesh. A suitable name for a unique boy like him."

Rani pointed out, "Plus, we can always nickname him 'Al'." She told Grievous, "That is, if you're okay with it."

Grievous nodded, "I think it's a name that will fit both cultures."

 ** _I had been given a great blessing by the Force. I was determined not to lose it. I also found that I had competing desires now: to wipe out the Jedi or live in exile with my wife and child. If I gained one future, I would lose the other. I decided not to concern myself with that subject until it came down to a choice. The question was which future did I want?_**

 **AN: You can read about the events on Raxus in** ** _Dark Disciple_** **. Although I tweaked a few parts, it's still pretty true to the book.**


	29. Grievous's Sacrifice

**_I returned to the war shortly after meeting my son. I was lucky I hadn't died before seeing Al. However, when I went on my campaigns, I had to focus my thoughts on the battles and not my newborn son. It did prove to be difficult – no more difficult than my anxiety about Rani being alive after she got stung – but I had to remain on task, for the safety of my wife and child. It was even a miracle I would sneak calls with my wife for a while. I was not so lucky for long._**

 **** ** _A month or so after Al was born, Dooku recruited Quinlan Vos as his new apprentice. Under the alias of Admiral Enigma, Vos wreaked havoc across the galaxy. I daresay he did a better job razing worlds than I did. I was a little threatened by that, but I was more concerned about my very survival…and the welfare of Rani and Al._**

In his quarters on a Separatist dreadnought, Grievous sneaked another call to Rani. When she answered, she was surprised by how he looked now.

She remarked, "Whoa, Grievous! Has your armor been downgraded again?"

Grievous's neck covering was now gone and his vocal were completely exposed. His armor was slimmer than before and his gut sack became more exposed.

Grievous groaned, "Unfortunately, yes. The Separatists are losing the war, Rani. The Republic knows it, the Jedi know it. Even Count Dooku knows it."

"If the Separatists do lose, how will it affect you?"

"For once, my pride is the least of my worries. If we lose the Clone Wars, I might be captured or exiled. Execution would be the worst-case scenario."

Rani was visibly saddened at the possibility of such an outcome. She then said, "Well, the least I can do is let Al see his dad before anything happens." She disappeared for a while before her hologram reappeared with Al in her arms. She said to Al while bouncing him, "Say 'hi' to Daddy, Al. Say 'hi'."

Grievous chuckled, "Rani, he won't be able to speak for several months."

Rani playfully admonished her husband, "Don't say stuff like that. You'll impede his speech."

Both spouses chuckled at that.

When Al began to fuss, Rani said, "Uh-oh. His diaper needs to be changed. Say 'bye-bye' to Daddy." She waved her baby's hand at Grievous.

Grievous said, "You two take care now, all right? I hope to see you soon."

Rani said, "Love you, honey." She blew an air kiss before her hologram disappeared.

Before Grievous could leave his quarters, the doors slid open to reveal Vos, who had his arms crossed. Although Vos was not visibly peeved, Grievous knew something was up. But he kept himself composed and addressed, "Vos."

Vos nodded, "General." His arms relaxed as he said, "So what do you do in here, if you don't mind my asking?"

Grievous had planned his words for if he was ever asked that. "I am merely going over the plans for battle. The balance of the entire war depends on every campaign we embark now."

Vos smirked, "I see. And you want to maintain your image, right?"

Grievous knew that Vos was being cryptic when he uttered that sentence. He prayed that Vos didn't suspect anything. He said, "I have my reputation to think of, you know."

Vos scoffed, "Yeah, right. I'm whooping your butt left and right with the battles I've been winning. Face it, Grievous. You're old news."

Grievous growled, "You may have once been a Jedi Master, Vos, but it doesn't mean I won't kill you first chance I get!"

"Oh, careful, General. You don't want to kill Dooku's best admiral, do you? I'm sure the big guy wouldn't like it if you had suddenly disposed of his apprentice."

Grievous groaned, defeated at the point Vos had made. He warned him as the cyborg exited the room, "Do not think you are better than me, Vos. I am a force to be reckoned with."

When Grievous left, Vos smirked and thought, _If you only knew the power of the dark side._

Vos entered the bridge and knelt down before Dooku, who was sitting in a chair. He said, "Lord Tyranus."

Dooku asked, "Yes, Vos? Is there something you wish to tell me?"

He nodded, "Yes, Master. I believe it concerns General Grievous."

"Oh?"

"I was walking by his quarters when I heard him speaking to someone. The voice sound very young and very…feminine."

"Surely he cannot be dealing with the witch Ventress."

Vos's anger boiled at the mention of her name, but he retained his composure and continued, "No, my lord. I do not think it's Ventress. The female Grievous was speaking to said she loved him."

Now Dooku was bewildered. He said, "Could this be a woman from his home planet?"

"No. After Grievous left, I used my psychometry to learn what happened. In the Force, I saw him holding a hologram of – you're not going to like this – a human girl."

Dooku was shocked and disturbed by this. Anger slowly crept on his face as he asked, "I was never aware that Grievous was in a relationship, much less with a human. Did you see what she looked like?"

"Well, let's see. She had dark hair up to her ears…goggles…and her back was sort of hunched."

Dooku now began to suspect who it was. He said, "The only human girl I've seen him interact civilly with was Rani Captague. She was rumored to be allying with the Separatists until Grievous disproved the claims. I wonder, though…" He then ordered a battle droid, "7-4-2-1, search for Rani Captague in the databanks."

Several moments later, Rani's profile appeared on the viewscreen. Vos said, "That's her, my lord. The girl he talked with."

Dooku scowled at her picture and said, "This is an unfortunate turn of events. Something must be done."

 ** _Count Dooku sent me to the planet of Garel. He told me that someone had wronged him and he sought revenge on her. I assumed he meant Ventress, but I couldn't help but feel that something wasn't right…_**

The fleet dropped out of hyperspace over Garel. Grievous ordered the droids, "Round up every last person and put them in buildings. It will be much easier to find the traitor."

The battle droids nodded, "Roger, roger."

As the droids were landing on the surface below, Grievous entered his quarters and polished his lightsabers to prepare himself for a one-on-one with Ventress. Just then, the doors opened and a battle droid said, "Sir, we've just rounded up the merchants."

Grievous was alarmed when he heard the last word. He asked, trying to keep his concern masked, "Merchants?"

"Yes, sir. There was a festival for merchants, but we crashed the party."

Grievous quickly rose and asked, "Are they all still alive?"

"Yes, sir. They're all in the buildings, as you ordered."

The cyborg walked out of the room in haste as he said, "I'm going down there to interrogate them."

 ** _Something was_** **definitely** ** _wrong._**

He flew his starfighter down to the surface of Garel and landed his craft near Garel City.

 ** _I didn't dare to ask the battle droids if they had seen Rani because I didn't want to raise any suspicion. I took it upon myself to glance through every group of merchants that was each huddled in a building. When I finally found Rani amidst the third group, emotions flooded in me despite my stoic exterior. There was relief that Rani was all right, fear that Dooku may have found out about our relationship, and anger that he might've sent me to Garel to kill her. I didn't know exactly what to do at that juncture, but I most definitely wanted to speak with Rani again, if not for the last time._**

Grievous entered the building Rani was in and told the merchants, "I hear there is a traitor among you. I shall interrogate you individually, starting with her!" He then pointed to Rani.

She looked surprised at being chosen. Once or twice, she and Grievous had discussed what to do when a situation like this arose. They agreed to make their acts look good. When Grievous dragged her by the arm, she acted frightened and tense. He then led her to an empty conference room and shut the door behind them. As soon as the door closed, Grievous immediately went to the control panel by the doorway and pressed some buttons.

Rani asked, "What are you doing?"

Grievous asked, "Do you mean at Garel or right now?"

"The second one."

"I'm shutting off the security cameras so our conversation would not be recorded. Yes, it would raise suspicion of our bond, but it would be better than have footage get out." As soon as the cameras were turned off, he turned to her and said, "Now, as for my arrival on Garel, I had been sent by Dooku to eliminate someone who had wronged him. I had assumed it was Ventress, but I never knew it would be you! I think Dooku found out about our secret and sent me here to kill you. Vos probably told him, no less."

"Vos?"

Grievous put his hand on his faceplate and sighed, "He was a Jedi Master before he went to the dark side and assumed the alias of Admiral Enigma. He is gifted with psychometry, which allows him to see past events through objects and surfaces. I have tried to keep my possessions away from him as much as possible. I must've slipped up, because now you and our son are in terrible danger."

Rani stroked his arm and shushed, "Shh. It's okay, honey. You did the best you could."

Grievous turned from her and slammed his fist against the table as he said, "But it wasn't enough!" He continued in a thick voice, "I only wish I could've done more for you. Be the protector many want me to be."

"Well, no one but a lucky few could keep secrets forever. Sometimes, things are bound to pop up. I don't want Al being kept in the dark about this when he grows up."

Grievous turned to her and said, " _If_ he gets the chance to live before anything happens to him." When he saw the troubled look on Rani's face, he apologized, "I'm sorry. I didn't want to worry you. Just tell me this: is Al safe right now?"

She nodded, "Yes. My parents are looking after him on Millius Prime."

Grievous put his hand on his chestplate and heaved a sigh, "Thank the Force. Still, it will be difficult for you to get back to him. If I leave the planet without killing you, Dooku himself would hunt you and our son down. We both know I would never kill you willingly. But if I was captured…"

Rani furrowed her brow as she asked, "Grievous, what are you saying?"

Grievous' head dipped in sadness for a bit before he faced her, saying, "The only way you'll safely leave this planet is if I surrender to the Republic."

Rani protested, "What?! No!"

"It's our one chance, Rani! The Republic will no doubt arrive to engage my army in battle. If I know my enemy, there's a good chance the clones will be led by a Jedi. I'll engage him or her to a duel and be 'defeated' so I'll be brought to Coruscant. That way, people will think it was more of a capture rather than surrender. Once the Republic takes me to their ship, leave Garel at the first possible chance and pack everything at Jharona. We're not taking chances this time."

Rani was genuinely upset with this, but she couldn't argue with the logic. She asked him, "But what will happen to you once you get to Coruscant? The Senate's not going to be merciful."

Grievous put his hand on her shoulder, "We'll have to see, darling. I can't make any promises at the moment, but you can." He took her hand and held it as he continued, "You can promise me that you'll keep Alarumesh safe and away from the war. I don't know if the conflict will continue on without me, but it's for the best that you both are as far away from battle as you can. Millius Prime might prove to be the befitting choice. Do I have your word that you'll protect our son with every fiber of your being?"

Rani nodded with tears in her eyes, "I will. For you."

Grievous said, "I regret that this is the way it has to be. I wish I could've been with my son more. I'll miss you both very much."

Rani said, "Me, too."

They embraced with heavy hearts. They shared some kisses to make the most of their borrowed time. However, like all sweet moments, it had to come to an end. A knock came at the door and a droid said, "Sir, Republic armies have landed on Garel!"

Grievous set Rani gently on the ground and said, "I believe that's my cue. Shall we put on a show?"

Rani smiled, "Let's make it look good."

"First, I would like to apologize in advance for this." He then grabbed Rani by the shirt and opened the door. As she pretended to struggle, he growled, "You insignificant worm! I have no more use for you!"

He then threw her to the ground, but not too forcibly. Rani had to admit that his acting was really good. She wondered if the same could be said about hers. Their eyes met one last time before he charged out of the doorway to the outside. She rose from the floor and leaned out the doorway to get a good look. Her eyes widened when she saw who was standing before her husband. Grievous was right when he surmised that a Jedi would be leading the clone army, but Rani never suspected that it'd be none other than Anakin Skywalker!

Rani knew Grievous wasn't acting this time when he told Anakin, "So this is the famed Anakin Skywalker." He chuckled menacingly, "I was expecting someone of your reputation to be a little…older." When he wheezed, Rani couldn't help but cringe at her beloved's poor health due to his recent downgrade.

Anakin smirked, "General Grievous. You're shorter than I expected."

Incensed by that comment, Grievous coughed before he growled, "Jedi scum. Now you will get what's coming to you."

He took off his cloak, split his arms in half, and ignited his four lightsabers. He spun his lightsabers with ease and charged at Anakin. Grievous swung and thrust at Anakin, but the Jedi just ducked, dodged, and parried every move the cyborg made. When Grievous got irritated of this, he bellowed, "Enough of this!"

In one quick move, Grievous grabbed Anakin with his foot, spun around, and pinned him to the ground. He held his lightsabers to the Jedi's neck and said, "Any last words, Jedi?"

Anakin grunted, "Yeah…I'll never give up!"

With a powerful Force-shove, Anakin threw Grievous off of him and stood up as Grievous hit the ground. Before the cyborg could act, Anakin severed Grievous's arms and legs in quick succession. He then pointed his lightsaber at the cyborg's faceplate and said, "You're coming with us, General Grievous."

Rani saw the whole thing, even when Grievous was taken away by the clone troopers. Her heart was shattered at the sight of her husband's broken body, but she fought every urge to rescue him from his captors. She kept a straight face through it all, but her blue eyes betrayed a deep sadness. When she got into her transport, she checked to see if there were any bugs. As she had expected, she found some. She knew Grievous wasn't kidding when he said that Dooku wanted her dead. She would now follow her husband's wishes and leave Jharona at once.

Meanwhile, Grievous was kept in a cell, surrounded by very tight security. He knew it was going to be like this indefinitely. He was a huge threat to the galaxy because of his actions. The only thing he didn't want to be a threat of was Rani's and Al's lives. He closed his eyes and slipped into remorseful contemplation.

 ** _I'm sorry, my dearest Rani. This is the only way it could be._**


End file.
